As we first reported on SFFGazette.com, the review embargo for The End of Oak Street has been lifted, and it appears Bad Robot has cracked the code for an effective dinosaur movie that's not Jurassic Park...even if the Steven Spielberg franchise is an obvious source of inspiration.
In the movie, a mysterious cosmic event rips Oak Street from suburbia and transports their neighbourhood to someplace unknown. The Platt family soon discovers that their very survival depends on them sticking together as they navigate their now unrecognisable surroundings.
While this score is likely to fluctuate over the coming hours and days, the original sci-fi movie starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor has debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with 84%. That's based on 90 critics' verdicts, and it's now officially "Certified Fresh" on the review aggregator.
Deadline writes, "You may hate yourself in the morning for succumbing to this B-movie-starring A-listers confection, but count me in. I had a blast." The Hollywood Reporter adds, "While it’s mindlessly entertaining in a big-dumb-fun kind of way, this is a movie that doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be, beyond a worshipful homage to 1980s Amblin, canonical Spielberg in particular."
The Wrap counters, "The film confuses surviving a life-threatening ordeal with confronting the things that truly scare us."
So, the movie wears its inspirations on its sleeve, similar to Bad Robot's Super 8, which was directed by J.J. Abrams (he executive produces The End of Oak Street, with It Follows' David Robert Mitchell in the director's chair).
Rolling Stone states, "It’s not a question of whether or not they make ’em like this anymore. You’re just stoked they were able to make something like this at all right now." However, The Guardian was less impressed, explaining, "The element of jeopardy is missing. The End of Oak Street is fun at first, but it feels like Mitchell doesn’t really believe in any of it."
IGN concludes, "While the influences are worn proudly, they veer into schtick occasionally, but not often enough to ruin the good time." Slashfilm, however, was wowed, and enthusiastically says, "Mitchell has made a highly personal movie that resonates with its depth as much as it delights with its action and visual effects."
Overall, it sounds like there's fun to be had with The End of Oak Street in theaters this weekend. Most moviegoers aren't likely to care as much as critics about it pulling from the Jurassic franchise, though the movie will have its work cut out for it when Spider-Man: Brand New Day dominates the #1 position at the box office for the third week in a row.
Starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor, The End of Oak Street also features Maisy Stella and Christian Convery.
The film is written and directed by David Robert Mitchell and produced by J.J. Abrams, Hannah Minghella, Jon Cohen, David Robert Mitchell, Matt Jackson and Tommy Harper. The executive producers are Chris Bender, Jake Weiner, Joanne Lee and Leeann Stonebreaker.
Mitchell’s team behind the camera includes director of photography Michael Gioulakis, production designer Maya Shimoguchi, editor John Axelrad, composer Michael Giacchino and costume designer Erin Benach.
The End of Oak Street arrives only in theaters and IMAX on August 14.