THE END OF OAK STREET

This film could have been a monumental disaster. 'The End of Oak Street' is extremely ambitious - in its scope, story and special effects - and yet somehow by the end of the film, it managed to have the entire audience literally cheering it on. That's no mean feat.

One of the main reasons for that is the strong character development. From the get-go, writer/director David Robert Mitchell ('Under the Silver Lake', 'It Follows') takes a gamble with imperfect, complicated characters who are bickering within a minute of the film's opening. It's awkward to watch, but it's very human, and therefore utterly relatable. This to-and-fro that Denise and Greg experience amid one of the most unimaginably horrific events grounds the implausible events around them in reality and fleshes out the plot beyond a family running away from a bunch of dinosaurs.

Which, let's be honest, is the main reason we're all there, so there's still plenty of this on offer. Any excuse for human/dino interaction is served up to us, with some truly memorable encounters. Sure, we have our share of in-car creature crises, throwing back to the famous 'Jurassic Park' T. rex scene, but plenty are utterly nail-biting and will leave you grabbing the arm of your chair as you wrestle with the character's chances of survival... and it's important to note that not all do.

But we wouldn't care about who lives or dies without the robust family dynamic and well-built characters, all of whom are portrayed with remarkable depth and affinity. It's no surprise that powerhouses Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway - particularly the latter, whose credits are basically doubling with her cinematic releases this year, and whose Denise becomes the strength and wits of the unit - are both a pleasure to watch. What's really wonderful is seeing Maisy Stella and Christian Convery ride this rollercoaster of action and emotion and keep up with their parental counterparts, while ensuring there's an authentic connection running through the household.

They're all also able to play to all the elements in the script - so far, I've mentioned the action/adventure elements, as well as the mystery/sci-fi elements that allow the fantastical portion of the story to take place. However, there's one more element that, while not front and centre, adds much to the movie's mass as it moves behind all the other moving parts. That's the humour that's been delicately injected intermittently in a way we don't often experience in many major Hollywood films, particularly in ways that are used to further the story. It's also excellent to see the script expediently move through the story in 99 minutes, without sacrificing the world-building of 1982 or the way the family's relationships evolve as the situation around them does.

It's not an entirely perfect affair, however. Despite much of the focus on the dinosaur action scenes, the animation of the creatures is a little hit-or-miss. It's amazing that, despite being made 33 years earlier, the effects in 'Jurassic Park' still surpass those of its peers. Also, while the inclusion of a cute token pet is always a perk, it's frustrating to see human misjudgments blamed on a poor dog. And yes, if our screening was anything to go by, Starbuck will be an audience favourite.

So while it doesn't live up to the illustrious heights of 'Jurassic Park', it's also not trying to be. 'The End of Oak Street' presents itself as its own beast, giving us something both entertaining and empathetically relatable. With a top-notch cast and lean, original script and creative action set pieces, there's a lot to sink your teeth into. It's the latest enjoyable addition to 2026's excellent box office run to date, and will certainly bring roars of both terror and laughter from theatre-goers.