65 Review: A Prehistoric Slog Through Time

Introduction

The promise of 65 was tantalizing: Adam Driver as a pilot stranded on a prehistoric Earth, battling dinosaurs for survival. It's a concept ripe for thrilling adventure, yet the film, directed by Scott Beck, squanders its potential from the outset. The biggest misstep? Revealing the "Earth 65 million years ago" twist in the trailer, robbing audiences of what could have been a truly impactful "Planet of the Apes"-style reveal. Instead, the title itself spells out the surprise, leaving little room for genuine discovery.

The Lead Dynamic & The Action

The core premise sees Adam Driver's character, Mills, finding a young survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), after their ship crash-lands. This setup, reminiscent of "The Last of Us," aims for an emotional connection as Mills sees his own daughter in Koa. However, the film utterly fails to build any meaningful character development or attachment. Audiences are left with a "boring slog" where the plight of the protagonists feels distant and unengaging.

Action sequences, while featuring dinosaurs, often devolve into generic "pew pew shoot action" that feels lifted directly from a video game. The reviewer noted that the final monster fight, in particular, felt like a "boss fight" from a game like Destiny or Halo, complete with predictable patterns of "shoot the monster, wound the monster, hit the thing that hurts the monster." This video game aesthetic, while potentially cool in a different context, strips the film of any genuine tension or originality.

Cameos, Nostalgia & Narrative Stakes

Beyond the initial setup, 65 struggles with narrative stakes. The film introduces various prehistoric creatures, some recognizable, others less so, but never truly leverages them to build a compelling threat. The missed opportunity to use the less familiar dinosaurs as the primary antagonists, only to reveal a T-Rex at the climax, would have been a far more effective way to connect the "65 million years ago" concept with the audience's understanding of prehistoric Earth. Instead, the narrative feels disjointed and lacks the cleverness it needed to elevate itself beyond a simple survival story.

Tone, Direction & Creative Freedom

The overall tone of 65 is one of missed opportunities. Despite a high-concept premise, the execution feels surprisingly dull. The reviewer described the experience as a "slog," a sentiment echoed by the feeling that the 90-minute runtime stretches out to "65 million years." This suggests a lack of dynamic pacing and creative direction that could have injected much-needed energy into the film. It's a movie that, on paper, had all the ingredients for intrigue but failed to utilize any of them effectively, resulting in a forgettable cinematic experience.

The Final Verdict

Ultimately, 65 is a film that promises a thrilling journey but delivers a monotonous trek. While the idea of Adam Driver battling dinosaurs is inherently cool, the execution lacks the character depth, narrative ingenuity, and engaging action needed to make it memorable. It's a film that will likely be forgotten quickly, leaving audiences wishing for a more inspired take on its promising premise.