The Wasteland Reviewer

The End of Oak Street (2026) Written Review

How would you react to waking up and finding dinosaurs running around your neighborhood? This is a terrifying situation that has been explored in film before (particularly in the Jurassic Park franchise) so it is not a “new” cinematic experience. But having a whole neighborhood from 1982 American suburbs transported through time to the prehistoric era…that is an exciting and fresh concept for sure. It has been eight years since David Robert Mitchell last had a film release (Under the Silver Lake unfortunately did not make much of an impact) and it has been twelve years since his masterful and exciting horror film It Follows graced the silver screen. Under the banner of J.J. Abrahms’ Bad Robot, Mitchell brings a wild ride full of dinosaurs to theaters for some late summer thrills. 

How does Mitchell bring this great concept to life on screen? The important first piece is setting the tone and stage for what happens later. This neighborhood is vibrant with the production design of the houses, the clothing, and the cars all capturing the period perfectly. The opening section of the film is also presented in a brighter and hopeful gaze that makes the tranquil suburban neighborhood come to life. The choice to have more mutated visuals once the danger comes in is quite inspired. The sound design is impeccable with the background sounds feeling starkly different between 1982 and prehistoric times. The computer-generated effects for the dinosaurs are quite well done for a film with less than half the budget of the Jurassic World films. Enjoy your feathery dinosaurs, everyone! The pacing of the film is brisk and carries this 99-minute film along with plenty of energy. The score created by Michael Giacchino is quite impressive with the overly melodramatic music during the opening sequence before being replaced by a dynamic, intense, and creative score that elevates every scene. There is a scene of the family talking out the situation that is shot in a way that makes the scene infinitely more dynamic and compelling. The camerawork is the most impressive aspect on the technical side (which shouldn’t be surprising if you have seen It Follows). The leveraging of camera pans and wide scope shots allows Mitchell to deliver small details in the background with plenty of dinosaurs getting up to crazy shenanigans. Mitchell also makes the choice to use obscure shots of the dinosaurs to slowly build the tension around these arrivals. The tone of the film is a little over the place. There are plenty of fun and campy moments that deliver some consistent laughs throughout the film. There are also some shocking elements that give the film some stakes and deliver some gut-punching moments. The film is a tad clunky in the transitions between some of these varied moments. 

Does Mitchell’s script match the technical prowess he brings? There are some elements in this film that are quite impressive. There are some that feel just a bit tagged on. Then there is the ending…which is frustrating, betrays some of the more impactful choices in the film, and opens the door to way too many logic questions and dark elements that the film avoids confronting. Let’s start there…at the end. There are a few brutal deaths due to these dinosaurs but there is one that delivers the biggest emotional gut-punch of the film. But the ending plays around with the events of the film so that to undue all the stakes which is frustration. The time-traveling shenanigans needed to make this happen also open the door for endless questions (some of which are extremely dark) and leave so much to be desired. The opening of the film might be slow compared to the dinosaur shenanigans but the roots it lays are well done. The mother of this family is presented as the glue holding the family together while struggling with her own dreams and a deep-seated desire to escape (that she conveys in her book that she is writing but is hidden from her whole family). The husband is full of secrets and is quite aloof and avoidant of his wife’s attempts to be pragmatic and honest about their shattering marriage. His reliance on humor makes him the “fun” dad to their son and daughter but continues to frustrate his wife. They each have a few skills set up that help them navigate this danger. Their reconnecting through this situation is the core of the whole film. The son is a basic pre-teen boy who loves his dog (who makes reckless decisions to find and protect his dog). He also has a bullying storyline that feels uninspired. The daughter is an astronomy nerd but that is about it. She gets an unexpected romantic connection, but it is barely fleshed out and quite needless. The film is peppered with well-structured and well-executed set pieces where the dinosaurs and other creatures get up to some wild and bloody shenanigans. The time traveling mechanisms are set up with minimal explanation and that is honestly for the best. The resolution for the film is set up well and makes for a solid MacGuffin. Just be prepared to find a few moments where you truly must suspend your disbelief. 

Does the cast deliver within this creative film? Anne Hathaway continues an incredible year of acting with this leading role. She does take center stage and carries the emotional core of the film with zeal. When the film needs to lean into the drama, Hathaway rises to the occasion. There is a moment when she has a realization about something she lost and there is so much pain in her performances. Her reaction to one of the most shocking moments in the film is so raw and compelling to watch. Hathaway’s take on a scream queen is big but impactful. Ewan McGregor gets to carry much of the humorous core of the film and his impressive charm sells it. His physicality is an asset as well as he sells one of the earliest chases of the film with plenty of energy. Chemistry is organic for the two leads and the conflict between Hathaway and McGregor is excellent. My Old Ass alumna Maisy Stella is charming as their daughter even if she is underwritten. The same can be said about Christian Convery who does shine with the horror moments and is rock solid for the rest. The rest of the cast is solid in their minimal roles with P.J. Byrne having some fun moments as the obnoxious neighbor of the main family. 

Has Mitchell found his groove again cinematically after such a break? The highs of this film are impeccable…then you have the ending. This might seem like beating a dead horse, but the ending truly does undercut the impact of the film’s bolder choices while opening the door to too many twisted questions just to have a happy ending. Hathaway is a revelation and anchors the experience so well. If you are looking for some of the best dinosaur thrills in 30 years, The End of Oak Street stands tall.