It’s been a while since I’ve seen a sci-fi thriller as refreshingly original as The End of Oak Street, and going into this movie completely blind was one of the best decisions I could’ve made for myself. The story follow an ordinary suburban family must find a way back home after their neighborhood is transported back to prehistoric times, evading all manner of dinosaurs and jurassic creatures along the way. Firstly, I must commend the performances and the pacing. The first act of this movie did such a great job building up to its premise, truly establishing that this very normal family with very normal problems ended up in these supernatural circumstances. (The performances from Ewan McGregor, Anne Hathaway and the rest of the cast really sold this concept as well. Each character was realistically flawed, making the danger they found themselves in that much more perilous to watch.) The sci-fi aspects of the film, including an explicit explanation as to how this neighborhood was sent back in time, are intentionally left ambiguous. However, its ambiguous nature only added to the film as a whole. The visual effects and the cinematography were superb, with every action set piece being more suspenseful and thrilling than the last. (Surprisingly brutal for a PG-13 film as well.) This movie also had a fantastic score and a tone that left room for humor and heart amongst its sense of danger, giving the film a nostalgic feel very reminiscent of films such as Jurassic Park. Very well done on behalf of the film’s director, especially considering the fact that this film isn’t based on any prior source material. Overall, I highly recommend giving this a watch. Despite some unrealistic character choices and plot conveniences that I can’t elaborate on without entering spoiler territory, The End of Oak Street has all the makings of a sci-fi classic. Score: 8/10
Noah Robinson 