THE END OF OAK STREET (2026) Review
Directed by David Robert Mitchell
The story is fresh, even if the setting is in the 80s, it perfectly blends science fiction and prehistoric adventure in one thrilling film. The costumes and production design transported me back to the 80s, but more than that, I appreciated the simplicity of life—a time when people actually talked to each other without relying on digital devices. Every prop, from the rotary phones to the analog station wagons, feels intentionally placed to anchor the story in a tangible, grounded reality before the madness begins.
What’s best about it is its unpredictability. The audience are, in a way, forced to go with the flow of what’s going, go with the decisions, may they be good or bad, of the Platt family. You find yourself second-guessing every choice they make, yet understanding why they made it given the chaotic circumstances. That tension keeps your hands glued to your seat because the script refuses to play by standard creature-feature rules.
I love how it started as the mundane activities of a family in the 80s. And as the story progresses, crumbs are planted as to what the story will move forward to. But I think what made my experience even more special is that I didn’t know what to expect. Yes, there were dinosaurs in the trailers, but wasn’t really expecting it to be a science fiction film as well. But as I watch the film, my interest gets deeper and deeper. I am more curious as to what will happen. Will they survive? Will they return to their time?
I’m not sure about Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor as wife and husband. There’s not much chemistry there, but as the film isn’t about that, you could dismiss it easily. Their individual performances are strong enough to carry their respective scenes, even if their dynamic feels more like friendly roommates than a deeply attached married couple facing an existential threat.
What I’m bothered about though is that the film opened as a community and yet the community didn’t bother to be one when the danger actually hit. We spent the first ten to fifteen minutes getting introduced to colorful neighbors and block-party dynamics, only for all those characters to completely not interact or get help from the second the temporal rift opened. It felt like a narrative cheat to isolate the Platts, ignoring the very setup the director spent so much time carefully constructing.
Despite those few narrative hiccups, the movie ultimately succeeds because it never loses its sense of wonder and high-stakes peril. It bridges two wildly different genres without taking itself too seriously, offering a nostalgic yet refreshing blockbuster experience. If you’re looking for a fun, thrilling ride that keeps you guessing until the end credits roll, The End of Oak Street is definitely worth the ticket.
4 OUT OF 5 STARS
‘The End of Oak Street’ is now showing in cinemas nationwide from Warner Bros. Pictures Philippines. Also available in IMAX and 2D/4Dx. Rated PG by the MTRCB.