The End of Oak Street: it’s not another Jurassic Park, even if it looks like one

Ever since the trailer came out, the comparison with Jurassic Park has been inevitable. There are dinosaurs and people trying not to get eaten by them.

But that's about it. They have little else in common. Where that film had scientific explanations (the mosquito in amber, genetic engineering…), this is an 80s-flavoured family adventure, with scenes that recall films like The Goonies or even Stranger Things..

That's the kind of film we're dealing with. It's not a deep film and doesn't pretend to be. Its clear aim is to entertain, and it succeeds.

A family adventure with dinosaurs

The premise is simple: Oak Street, a quiet residential neighbourhood, is transported somewhere it has no business being. From then on, the family at the centre of the story has to work out what's going on while discovering that their new neighbours have considerably bigger teeth than their pets.

Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor lead the cast and do a good job in their roles. They also have chemistry together. That matters because the film spends as much time on the family conflict as on the adventure, and if these characters didn't work, the film would be far less interesting.

Fortunately, that's not the case. 

The drama is there, it shapes the characters' decisions, gives the story some weight and complements the action nicely. The two sides strike a balance that makes you care a little more about the dangerous scenes than if you were simply watching four cardboard cut-outs running away from a digital monster.

Plenty of 80s spirit, not much science lab

The End of Oak Street knows exactly what sort of film it wants to be. The influence of 80s fantasy and adventure cinema is everywhere: suburbs, families, kids, creatures, humour and ordinary people facing something way beyond their control.

Spielberg's influence is obvious too, perhaps more E.T. than Jurassic Park. It might look like too much of a pastiche, but the film has enough personality of its own to be more than a collection of references.

That said, don't go looking for a convincing explanation of what's happening, because there isn't one. It doesn't develop a theory to justify the existence of its dinosaurs or give you a solid explanation for everything that happens, but the truth is it doesn't matter.

It works best when it uses the premise as a starting point for adventure and family drama, and it knows that, so it tries not to make us think too hard about it.

Action, pace and feathered dinosaurs

The film takes a little while to get going, but after that it keeps up a good pace, and its running time works in its favour. It doesn't try to stretch a simple story over two and a half hours; it tells the story it wants to tell, which is refreshing.

It also has some really well-staged scenes. There are a few long takes that work particularly well, several genuinely tense situations and even a death I didn't see coming.

The visual effects are more uneven. They're not the best digital dinosaurs I've ever seen, but I also think it's worth remembering that many scenes are shot in broad daylight. Darkness can hide a lot of flaws, whereas here the creatures are often perfectly lit, so every mistake stands out that much more.

I also really like the design of some species. There are dinosaurs with feathers or hair, something closer to modern reconstructions than the classic giant-lizard image that cinema has put in our heads for decades.

It's a small detail, but it gives the film personality.

And because the film doesn't take itself too seriously, it has some funny moments that land well, including a certain photo of dinosaurs busy doing things considerably less threatening than usual.

The best things about The End of Oak Street

What I liked most is precisely that it doesn't try to compete with Jurassic Park on its own turf. There's less science, less explanation and a lot more adventure, and I think the film is better for that decision.

The balance between family conflict and action works well too. Hathaway and McGregor help a lot here, making the relationships believable enough.

The pacing is good once it gets past the opening, and there are several visually impressive scenes.  

And finally, the dinosaurs aren't just copies of ones we've seen a thousand times before; some designs bring something different.

The worst things about The End of Oak Street

I've mentioned it already, but explanations aren't its strong suit. So you'll spot plot holes and some baffling decisions by the protagonists.

The effects are hit-and-miss too, and Spielberg's influence is so obvious that at times it's hard to tell homage from imitation.

Still, none of those problems is a reason to skip it if this is your kind of film.

Conclusions and verdict: is it worth watching?

The End of Oak Street gives us an hour and a half of entertainment, which is exactly what it sets out to do.

It's not a “Jurassic Park-killer  ” — nor is it trying to be — but an adventure film with dinosaurs, 80s spirit, a bit of family drama and little interest in explaining every detail.

It has its rough edges, some effects that could be better and a slightly slow start, but then it finds its rhythm and delivers several great scenes, some humour and enough personality not to feel like just another copy of something we've already seen.

If you like The Goonies, , Stranger Things, 80s adventure films and, obviously, dinosaurs, I think you'll have a good time.

The End of Oak Street: technical details

Detail	Information
Title	The End of Oak Street
Original title	The End of Oak Street
Director	David Robert Mitchell
Year	2026
Running time	99 minutes
Main cast	Anne Hathaway, Ewan McGregor, Maisy Stella and Christian Convery
Genre	Science fiction, adventure, thriller and horror
Distributor	Warner Bros. Pictures
Music	Michael Giacchino