The End of Oak Street review: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor can’t save dinosaur romp

There is tension, though, beneath the surface, evident clearly in a book Denise has been writing, about a wife and mother who is preparing to leave home. All that is swept aside when, one night, after a flash of light, gusts of wind, and rumbling of doors, windows and furniture, the Platts wake up to a changed world outside their window. Oak Street and beyond have been taken over by dinosaurs, big and small and ferocious, and run over by dense plantations dating back millions of years.

Most of us would think we are in a nightmare or – billionaires being what they are – guinea pigs in a new experiment involving Jurassic life. Audrey is the scientifically inclined one in the family (as the film underlines more than once), but it is Denise who comes up with an explanation that’s astounding and, if we are being charitable, audacious.

So what happens when T-Rex discovers the American suburb? Again, don’t hold your breath for any deep dive of a sociological kind. This is pure and simple dystopia, with the Platts and pterodactyls having a go at each other, repeatedly.

A more thoughtful film could explore how two species adjust to life outside their natural habitats. But not only are there no dinosaurs with even a streak of grey, on the human side, the neighbourhood doesn’t have a single odd-ball with an armoury of guns, or even a brave policeman being the hero. In fact, there is hardly a person of any consequence in Oak Street but for the Platts.

Also Read – Awarapan 2 movie review: Emraan Hashmi returns as wounded hero, keeps it humming

Hathaway and McGregor do the best they can with their flimsily written roles, as do actors playing their children.

Of course, the family that fights dinosaurs together, stays together. And if that involves watching two dinosaurs hump, you better have as co-witness a life partner, who can vouch for it.

The End of Oak Street movie cast: Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisey Stella, Christian Convery, P J Byrne
The End of Oak Street movie director: David Robert Mitchell
The End of Oak Street movie rating: 2 stars