Verdict: 3/5
As someone who loves dinosaur movies, ‘The End Of Oak Street’ was high on my list this year, with its suspenseful trailers and thriller-esque energy. However, after seeing it, I was unfortunately left wondering what all the hype was about.
The story centres on the Platt family, an average all-American family of four living in the 1980s. Their idyllic lifestyle is interrupted however, when they – and their entire neighbourhood – are mysteriously transported back to a time when dinosaurs ruled. Of course, chaos ensues as they try to find a way back home, dodging the numerous prehistoric threats.
My main problem with this film is that it teetered on the edge of being made for kids versus adults. The script and writing style seemed simplistic, whereas the occasional gory demise made it feel more mature. It appeared to me that the writers couldn’t choose what age bracket they wanted to appeal to, and so made it for everyone. This isn’t always a problem, only when the end result isn’t a spectacular film, which it isn’t.
Stars Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor performed excellently as two concerned parents just trying to make it home safely with their family intact. I can’t say as much for the supporting cast however, as Hathaway really stole the show for me.
Her character had depth and dreams beyond the nuclear family she found herself in, and when forced into a life or death situation, she was the strong, independent woman we all want to be.
While it was a perfectly average film, it’s one that I won’t be rushing to see again on streaming. If I’m being honest, the only thing that kept this movie above a 2/5 is the cinema experience.
See this movie at Hoyts Penrith
