In her fourth theatrical release this year, Anne Hathaway is channelling her mother-bear mode in The End of Oak Street. The survival film also marks the fourth directorial film by Robert David Mitchell, who previously directed It Follows and Under the Silver Lake.
Set in 1982, the Platts – Denise (Hathaway), her husband Greg (Ewan McGregor), son Brian (Christian Convery) and daughter Audrey (Maisy Stella) – live on Oak Street in a quiet neighbourhood. One night, they find their street has been transported millions of years into the past, with dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures roaming freely. As their panicked neighbours are being hunted as prey, the family fights for their survival while trying to find a way home.
While 1980s cinema was dominated by the weird and the wonderful (science-fiction, buddy cop action, and Brat Pack teen comedies), one particular genre that was rarely depicted during the decade was the dinosaur movie. A genre that has long been dominated by the Jurassic Park franchise and – to an extent, the Land Before Time franchise (that included no more than 16 sequels) – dinosaurs have rarely been seen in the 1980s canvas, when otherworldly films such as ET, Back to the Future and Ghostbusters ruled the box office.
So, having a dinosaur film set in the 1980s seemingly fills a noticeable gap. The Platts are wondering how to survive in prehistoric suburbia, watching in horror as their neighbours become dinner for Oak Street’s newest residents. In his biggest film so far, Mitchell makes the most of the film’s silent-yet-deadly threats to craft genuinely scary scenes, more than just dinosaurs running the wild. Most of the creatures hide under the cloak of darkness but when in plain sight, as in the case of an enormous serpent-like creature slithering silently and mostly unseen in a house, they become truly terrifying.
But underneath the fantastical premise is a lukewarm family drama. Mitchell quickly establishes the issues between the Platts such as Denise dreaming about leaving the family and Greg’s lies about having to work a second job. These issues offer light drama but are gradually – and annoyingly – pushed aside to retain the film’s necessary family unit that focuses on survival. Mitchell tries to include heartfelt or laughable moments to break the drama, such as Audrey listening to Steve Winwood’s Valerie in a car or Greg posing a picture with two horny dinosaurs in the background. Even so, they cannot hide the fact that the story doesn’t offer much besides survival, especially as it barely explains the root cause of the Platts’ predicament.
Amid the loose premise, the cast make the most of their performances. Hathaway anchors the film as the realistic and protective Denise and Convery is engaging as Brian, who delivers the naivety of a scared son who is unsure of what to do. In comparison, McGregor and Stella do not have material to fully develop their characters, leaving them half-baked. The inconsistent character development, along with their questionable choices (for instance, going out in the dark while armed with a flimsy weapon), chips away at the film’s fear factor, leaving its thrills (especially during the third act) overshadowed by the film’s disappointing ending.
With big dinosaurs and star power behind it, The End of Oak Street had the potential to be a summer blockbuster. But this 1980s-set film may be more suited to 1980s audiences, who may not be so bothered by plot holes and a weak script.
The End of Oak Street is out in UK cinemas on 14 August.
Rating: 
Director: David Robert Mitchell
Stars: Ewan McGregor, Anne Hathaway, Maisy Stella, Christian Convery
Runtime: 99 minutes
Country: USA
