The End of Oak Street Review: Flawed yet ferocious
I was intrigued by this film the moment I saw this trailer—and not because this is the fourth movie starring Anne Hathaway that's coming out this year, with more to come. No, I was just shocked that we're actually ending the summer off with not one but two dino movies. Starring one of my favorite actors, Ewan McGregor, and two fantastic younger talents, Christian Convery and Maisy Stella, the core cast here was a huge win.
Did this dino movie give me the feels I got watching Jurassic Park? Or Jurassic Park III and Jurassic World: Rebirth, my other two favorites of that series... or was it just downright bad as Dominion? Was it at the very least as good as the Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie? All that and more is what I, Brighton Nelson of the Reel Ranker, will cover in today's article. Thanks for joining me, and I hope you enjoy your time on the site!Let's start with the negatives so we can save the best for last. I disagree with those saying this film couldn't choose a tone well—movies that are simultaneously dark, funny, and decent family dramas? Films like this often get made well, and this is one of them. That said, two moments—one shockingly nihilistic and one with such goofy dino reproduction—made me wish the film committed more on both sides of the coin. Not that this film was another safe dino movie, but it could've pushed the line more without adding much more blood or runtime. More fun, more blood, and more family drama: I just wished the film had a little more confidence in its elements.
The film also relies on some contrived things to make the plot work. Like, a little girl surviving a dino with a stick, the whole leaving for the dog crap, the librarian being a little too self-sacrificial for no good reason... It still didn't have as many dumb coincidences as many films, but it could've used a few more passes in the editing room, or at least been self-aware about those moments.
The ending was a highlight for me, too. It balanced happy moments with the still-bleak reality of life. Still, I felt it left out one beat that could've made the already unexpected ending hit even harder: showing that one other person escaped or something, to really emphasize that the sci-fi elements and looping mechanism allow for more continuous survivors. I feel like that could've made for a perfect final note in an end-credits scene.
The final aspect that didn't do it for me was the side characters. This movie needed at least 10 more non-consecutive minutes of screen time to flesh them out. From the neighborhood girl who tags along to the bully kids, to the next-door neighbor with a vendetta, to the librarian, and, my favorite, the editor grandma? Fully realizing their characters would've added so much more gravitas to the film. As-is, while the emotional stakes are solid, the potential to make this the most emotionally moving dino movie of all-time was so high, and this film couldn't clear that bar, instead opting for quick subplots and random, barely-shown background dino-kills. However, while this movie is deeply drowned in many flaws, it builds such strong support beams over the water that it is now in a cruel four-way tie for my favorite dino movie... Yes, I like this and the three aforementioned Jurassic films the same; get over it. I'd say this movie is the most scattershot and potential-wasting of the bunch, but it has such a fun blend of great elements that I can't help but say it is one of the best dino movies ever made.
First great thing: the performances and family dynamic were on point here. Honestly, they were lovable at almost every point. That is, other than the son trying to save the dog so incessantly: I've been an elementary and middle school teacher long enough to know most kids know when to quit and have enough self-preservation not to be that stupid. I love dogs as much as the next guy, but, please, can we stop with it always being the child's fault that bad stuff happens in horror movies?
But I digress. As I said, the dynamic here is great. I like the nuanced take on a crumbling relationship that wasn't hyper-melodramatic and felt like a true rough patch. I loved that the dad wielded a baseball bat like a champion while letting his wife keep the shotgun. It was so chivalrous and cute, and it still showed they love each other amid the problems. The young boy and his horrible archery skills were great. Honestly, Maisy Stella as the older daughter was probably my favorite character. She was resourceful, a good balance of smart and naïve, made little Sagan references, and all that. I liked her well-rounded performance, which surpassed any other child-or-teen performance in any dino movie I've watched, save the absolutely epic kid from Jurassic Park III. I really want to see her other performances, and I hope she gets lots of good roles to come!
I really liked the build-up to the cataclysm, with the book-writing and the weird foliage showing up. The slow tension-building of the dinosaurs did a great job of making dinosaurs horrifying, not just superficial boss fights. A couple of more whimsical dino moments could've been great, sure, but most clear-minded people are going to be more afraid than excited to see dinosaurs. If I saw dinosaurs anywhere but the big screen, I'd be terrified, not in awe. So, I don't think every dino film needs that element.
And, honestly? These are my favorite-looking dinos I've seen on the big screen. Before anyone argues and rambles about how groundbreaking the original Jurassic Park's dinos are and that I'm some sacrilegious teenager, I need to say: these are way more scientifically accurate to what we currently know about dinosaurs. While the more feathery nature of dinos hadn't been discovered yet when that first Jurassic film was made, this film did a wonderful job pivoting their look to something more bird-like yet equally ferocious. I was skeptical when they said they were attempting the mix-up, but I'm glad they did. This film introduced some more unconventional creatures that I haven't seen before, with a particular snake-like goober having wonderful scenes that are kind of cute, until it unlocks its jaw and becomes all-parts horrifying.
The way the film is shot was satisfying, too, adding dramatic irony, tension, and thrills to each scene. For example, I loved a shot where the camera panned to a dino ripping apart someone's shirt, and back to the characters, leaving the nasty sound design to do the rest of the unnerving. This film strikes a fantastic balance between what it keeps on screen and what it leaves to the imagination, all while being perhaps the most visceral PG-13 movie to date.
The story isn't mind-blowing, but the risks it takes and its more fi-than-sci approach distinguish it from Jurassic Park in all the right ways. Each plot twist is quite shocking—I mean, there's a part where a basement floods and Anne's character loses her whole manuscript. Yeah, at that point, I thought that'd be the most heartbreaking scene of the movie for me, as a writer and all. That's how safe some blockbusters are these days. Boy, was I wrong! And thankfully so.
The finale here reminded me of the 2015 horror movie The Invitation for some reason, and I thought the emotions and realism played out wonderfully. Many said it felt framed too optimistically for how much carnage there was. But for the more Spielbergian, Amblin-Entertainment-esque approach the film took, I felt it handled the happy ending well within the context of the greater stakes. I appreciated that, due to the nature of the catastrophe, tough decisions had to be made. It felt more like how events would play out in real life, not in a Hollywood flick. That's often one of the highest compliments I can give to a film. A happy rom-com-like ending can be great, but this film knew it shouldn't end like Hallmark. I firmly believe it made the right choice.
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 77%
Letter Score: A-
Star Ranking: 4 out of 5
The End of Oak Street is flawed yet fantastic. It might have a tsunami of flaws, but it built its stilts so high that this film ended the summer with the ferocious snap, crackle, and pop of a lightning bolt striking a bottle.
Interested in checking out some recent reviews for some other sci-fi, thriller and horror films? See them below!
Brighton Nelson
Brighton Nelson
Brighton NelsonEnjoy this review? Stay tuned for more articles from The Reel Ranker! Enjoy video games, music, or books? Check out our sister site, RPG Ranked, Mr. Maestro, and Brighton's Bookshelf, respectively!
