Reviews
The End of Oak Street
The highly anticipated release of The End of Oak Street has been overshadowed by what can only be described as one of the most abominable marketing campaigns in recent memory. In an attempt to sell the film to would-be audiences, Warner Bros. inexplicably utilised a generative AI dog podcast in a remarkable act of self-destruction that has rightfully been mocked in every direction they turn. It’s a gaffe made all the more egregious when you take into account that the film itself is immensely entertaining and undoubtedly the best dinosaur movie in decades.
The End of Oak Street follows the Platt family, made up of mum Denise (Anne Hathaway), dad Greg (Ewan McGregor), their two kids Audrey (Maisy Stella) and Brian (Christian Convery), and their dog Starbuck. On the surface, they are the stereotypical suburban American family. Underneath that facade, though, is a couple grappling with an impending divorce and two kids trying to find their own way in life. Those problems are quickly worsened when a mysterious cosmic event transforms their neighbourhood into a prehistoric nightmare. Now, with hungry dinosaurs lurking in every direction, the Platt family must battle for survival and figure out a way to escape this hell.
Brought to life by the brilliant mind of writer and director David Robert Mitchell, The End of Oak Street is unapologetically original. It’s incredibly self-aware of its ridiculous nature and seeks to embrace that at every opportunity, while blending it with the more familiar familial drama audiences will be used to. The result is a distinctive, outrageously fun summer blockbuster for all the family that, for the most part, absolutely succeeds.
That’s not to say it’s a complete slam dunk. Some will struggle with the slower nature of the first act as Mitchell’s script takes its time properly introducing audiences to the Platt family. There’s a genuine effort to get viewers to relate to each character while becoming emotionally attached to their story. Elements of it definitely work, particularly Denise’s character arc, which provides the film with some of its most affecting moments. For others, though, these scenes will feel sluggish and may never succeed in making them truly care about what happens to the Platts.
As is to be expected, when the dinosaurs finally make their appearance, the whole movie shifts into top gear. From there, The End of Oak Street is completely relentless, providing one of the most outright enjoyable times at the cinema this year. The third act especially delivers gloriously outrageous entertainment coupled with action galore. Mitchell finds countless ingenious ways to bring this prehistoric nightmare to life and even manages to include one of the most memorable scenes in dinosaur movie history, one that will undoubtedly be talked about for years to come.
You’d think, given the PG-13 rating, that the film might be fairly tame when it comes to the action. You’d be surprised. Mitchell and his team have come up with some insanely creative ways to bend that rating as far as it will go, resulting in some terrifyingly violent scenes. It’s genuinely shocking how much they’ve been able to include while sticking to that classification, all while coming up with some of the craziest kills for audiences to sink their teeth into.
The action is aided by some outstanding creature design. Unlike most other dinosaur movies, The End of Oak Street doesn’t simply rely on throwing a tyrannosaurus rex onto the screen. Instead, Mitchell brings to life prehistoric creatures you’re likely to have never seen before. In a way, that makes them even more frightening, as you never quite know what to expect from these unfamiliar dinos. The CGI used to realise them is stunning and never once pulls you out of the experience, which is a huge testament to the effects team.
Famously, with a PG-13 rating, filmmakers can only include one use of the f-bomb, and The End of Oak Street has thrown its hat into the ring for the best use I’ve seen in years. It’s placed perfectly for the ultimate crowd-pleasing moment and will be particularly well served when watching with a packed audience. Perhaps more surprisingly, those wanting to see some raunchy action would be better served here than with One Night Only, in a wickedly humorous twist.
For the most part, the movie is also shot impressively well. Mitchell utilises shadows and inventive camera work to leave audiences in suspense about what could be lurking out of sight for as long as possible. It’s a remarkably effective way of building dread and fear, creating a palpable level of tension throughout. That said, Mitchell has clearly buddied up with Lee Cronin given the excessive and, at times, laughable split diopter shots on display, which eventually become more distracting than effective.
The score might prove to be a point of division. It starts with a whimsical quality before kicking into what feels like a Jaws-inspired big band that packs a mighty boom. For me, it tonally hits the mark and proves to be a powerful addition that accompanies the action incredibly well. For others, though, it may prove more of a distraction than an aid to the overall experience.
At this point, it should come as no surprise that Anne Hathaway is one of, if not the best thing about the entire movie. Even in the first act, when the film teeters on testing audiences’ patience, she is captivating. You really get a sense of the pain Denise is dealing with during the mundanity of daily life amid a failing marriage. But it’s a performance made all the more impressive by how, at the flick of a switch, Hathaway brings the needed intensity and never-back-down attitude of a protective mother to become a full-blown action icon.
Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella and Christian Convery, while perhaps nowhere near as memorable, are all extremely solid. That’s especially true when you take into consideration just how much of their acting would have taken place with imaginary dinosaurs around them. For the vast majority of the runtime, you still get a convincing sense of their fear, the immediate danger to their lives and the sheer magnitude of what they’re facing. It’s a real testament to their work.
It would be understandable to go into The End of Oak Street with reservations. After all, it’s been a long time since the last truly great dinosaur movie. And while it may not quite reach the heights of the very best the genre has to offer, this is exactly what you’d want from a dinosaur summer blockbuster. It’s a phenomenally entertaining time for all the family that demands to be seen on the big screen and promises to deliver one of the wildest rides 2026 has to offer. If only the bizarre marketing campaign had done a better job of letting audiences know just how much fun awaits them.