Despite the success of the Jurassic World franchise, it appears that the new original feature is the most exciting entry in the genre in years.
As of this writing, The End of Oak Street has an 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 31 reviews.
Of course, there are critics who were not necessarily impressed with what The End of Oak Street had to offer.
In addition to David Robert Mitchell, The End of Oak Street has some prestige filmmaking prowess behind it.
His name has fueled speculation that Oak Street is somehow connected to the Cloverfield franchise, which is also backed by Abrams.
After being hailed the "best dinosaur movie in decades" in early reactions, the final verdict is in for Anne Hathaway's new sci-fi blockbuster. Hitting theaters this week, the film sees a family battle prehistoric creatures when their neighborhood is transported to another realm. Despite the success of the Jurassic World franchise, it appears that the new original feature is the most exciting entry in the genre in years.
As of this writing, The End of Oak Street has an 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 31 reviews. Critics are praising the sci-fi film for its non-stop thrills, with one critic from The Hollywood Reporter calling it a big homage to Amblin productions from the 1980s that is "mindlessly entertaining in a big-dumb-fun kind of way." Geeks Vibes Nation concurs, calling Oak Street "a rip-roaring blockbuster blast that's so electric it will leave you scratching your head over what they’ve been doing with the Jurassic World movies over the past 10+ years."
Starring Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella, and Christian Convery, The End of Oak Street hails from director David Robert Mitchell in his first venture into blockbuster filmmaking after helming It Follows and Under the Silver Lake. Slashfilm praised Mitchell for creating a "highly personal movie" that "resonates with its depth as much as it delights with its action and visual effects." The biggest component to the widespread praise has been how the film does not take itself too seriously, which allows "the audience to laugh and go on this journey with a lighter energy," according to CBR.
Of course, there are critics who were not necessarily impressed with what The End of Oak Street had to offer. One rotten review by Fresh Fiction thought that David Robert Mitchell's attempt at "Amblin-esque nostalgia" worked against the project, coming across as "cheap, sloppy and reductive of many films before it." The Guardian held a similar opinion, admitting that, while Oak Street is "fun at first," it eventually "feels like Mitchell doesn’t really believe in any of it." Still, despite its detractors, it seems like the film works more than it doesn't.
In addition to David Robert Mitchell, The End of Oak Street has some prestige filmmaking prowess behind it. J. J. Abrams, whose name is plastered all over the film's marketing campaign, has been attached as a producer through his Bad Robot company ever since the project was publically announced in 2023. His name has fueled speculation that Oak Street is somehow connected to the Cloverfield franchise, which is also backed by Abrams. No matter the case, it appears that the film has earned its keep without an overt franchise connection, if the positive critical reviews are any indication.
