The End of Oak Street Audience Reviews: A Fresh Take on Dinosaurs, Though Not Everyone Is Convinced
Audiences say Anne Hathaway delivers in a new spin on dinosaur movies, but the plot and CGI are a bit lackluster.
What would you do if you found prehistoric creatures in your backyard? The End of Oak Street from writer-director David Robert Mitchell tries to answer that very question.
Set in the 1980s, the movie stars Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway as parents of the Platt family who must navigate their new, unrecognizable surroundings after a mysterious cosmic event transports their suburban neighborhood to an unknown place. And yes, that place has dinosaurs. From the soundtrack to the plot, the sci-fi thriller is reminiscent of a movie era past — which, for critics who have made this film Certified Fresh, is the perfect way to cap the summer blockbuster season.
Audiences are a little more divided. Some are celebrating the movie as this generation’s Jurassic Park while others are just feeling confused. See what audiences are saying below, and leave your own reviews here.
84%
74%
These reviews have been condensed and edited for clarity.
“The End Of Oak Street is the BEST dinosaur movie in decades! It’s a fantastic family movie with an amazing story, emotion, a TON of dinosaurs, and so many funny and fun moments. There are also some shocking moments that had my mouth WIDE open! One of the BEST movies of the year!”
— Filmtastic 
“This gave me heart attack and emotional roller coaster and two things you need to know before you go see it yourself. 1) Take shot of alcohol, and 2) Love the people you truly love and care about because one day you’re going to be in the shoes of Anne Hathaway’s character.”
— Jonathan H 
“If you are looking for a fresh concept with some killer dinosaur content then you’ve come to the right place. If you are looking for the movie to theoretically make sense then I’d say it’s a skip. Was fun to watch/confusing at times, but I can look the other way for Anne Hathaway.”
— Al Y 
“The End of Oak Street is a must-see experience from J.J. Abrams. The theme of the movie is the early ’80s and it was a beautifully themed movie that also includes dinosaurs. it reminds me most of Super 8.”
— Rayvonne B
“For me, it was just okay. I’ve seen other movies with the same premise of a neighborhood being torn out of its confines or being domed away from the outside world. Was hoping for more, being that J.J. Abrams is involved.”
— Sean K 
“Fun enjoyable movie. I’m giving it a high rating because the whole theater was in the action. Not the smoothest production. A few noticeable re-shoots patched in. I would recommend this movie to friends.”
— Catherine S
“While the story meanders a bit in the middle, and the dinosaur designs are a messy hodgepodge of outdated and modern ideas, the strong performances and phenomenal sense of tension and peril more than make up for it. It’s scary, it’s fun, it’s messed up in all the best ways. Finally, a new dinosaur movie that doesn’t suck!”
— Prasokour C
“It’s a creative twist on a dinosaur movie but was tense and suspenseful! Also keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the movie and has some comedy to lighten the mood a little!”
— Vini
“Anne Hathaway carried so hard. She did very good. Story and dialogue were mid you could see where it was going like 1/4 of the movie in. Dinosaur visual effects were crap and most of the time just show sides of a dinosaur. Ending was pretty lackluster. Boring all the way around to be honest.”
— Angel R 
“Well acted and great story. Some very intense moments for sure. The dinos were a tad too CGI though. I wish they had made them more realistic but overall a good movie.”
— Val
“Sorry Universal, but your latest dinosaur movies got nothing on The End of Oak Street. This movie is amazing! What a roller-coaster of a ride with a banging climactic ending. Anne Hathaway brings it again with a superb performance. She goes on full vulnerable to full heroine. She gets to show a full range of emotions so naturally as an unhappy wife to protective mother. The dinosaurs have never looked, moved, interacted better in films. And this is coming from someone who absolutely loves the original Jurassic Park. The End of Oak Street is just superior from every angle with its different take on dinosaur disaster filmmaking.”
— Ralphtoine C
“I really enjoyed The End of Oak Street! Some sci-fi movies tend to take themselves too seriously, this one found a great balance. I highly recommend!”
— Stacey A
The End of Oak Street is now in theaters. Buy your tickets on Fandango.
