So, you’d think a movie with Adam Driver taking on a bunch of dinosaurs would be an absolute blast, right? Well, “65” turns out to be a whole lot of a snooze-fest. Despite a whopping $91 million budget and a flashy Super Bowl ad appearance, bro was confused– whether to be a wild survival story or a touching family drama. And we all know beech ke bandar ka kya haal hota hai. It bounces from one genre, deflects to the other one, and aise hi dhakke khaate khaate 90 mins (read has 90 million years) nikal jaate hai. Characters? Meh. Emotions? Meh. Action? Repetitive and meh.
Plot
So kahaani on paper toh kaafi mazedaar hai. Adam Driver is a space pilot named Mills, who is traveling to other planets to find a cure for his sick daughter. Classic hero motivation, right? Par ruko zara, sabar karo. Asteroids ki baarish uske spaceship par toot padti hai, and he crashes onto an unknown planet. No prizes for the right guess. It is indeed Earth, but 65 Million years ago, bole toh Spielberg sahab ki wo waali era mein jismein puri duniya hi Jurassic Park hai. Asteroids ne apni aukaat dikha di. The only survivor, besides Mills, is a girl named Koa, jo ki ofc Mills ke daughter ki age ki hai, and doesn’t speak English. The Last Of Us smiling in the corner. So, these two are stuck together on a perilous journey to escape the dino-pocalypse. The idea sounds cool, but the execution? Not at all cool.
Performances
Now, let’s talk performances. When it comes to actors, we just cannot forget Adam Driver, right? I mean so many goated performances (Marriage Story will always be my fav). He’s got this intense acting style, which is just *chef’s kiss*. But in “65,” he’s just kind of… there. Blandly heroic and generally annoyed like your pados waale uncle. Not the Driver we know and love. And that is not his fault– it is the script that limits his abilities. Ariana Greenblatt as Koa does her best with what she’s given, but that emotional bond is missing. Ek toh the language barrier, upar se they forcefully try to remind us ki Koa is Mill’s ke daughter ki age. Yeah, they try for The Last Of Us vibe, but the performances fault the execution.
Direction and Writing
Ok, so the film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. Guess what this duo is also behind. A QUIET PLACE!!! Kaha wo movie aur kaha ye:/ They offer some sweet camera tricks but the editing is very weird at times. But the biggest disappointment for me was the fact that it had NOTHING original to give. It’s like every high point about this movie is a scene we’ve all seen somewhere before. Jab ek hi cheez dekhni hai toh hum baar baar alag films kyu dekhe?Also, they don’t really make the most of Mills’ futuristic gadgets in this prehistoric world. Add to it the flat humor, and the danger that gets resolved too neatly. We needed more chaos and craziness, guys! The adrenaline rush was missing in the whole movie.
Screenplay and Cinematography
Here’s where it gets kinda meh. The screenplay feels like a checklist of monster movie clichés. Shooting monsters, protecting the unknown, unarmed kid because they’re of the same age as your dead son/daughter, and people dying in cryo-sleep – we’ve seen it all before. The jumpscares are alright, thanks to the directors’ “A Quiet Place” experience, but they can’t save the film. The gadgets are cool, but it feels more like a video game. The result? A 90-minute movie that feels like 90 million years. On the bright side, Salvatore Totino’s cinematography is pretty fcking beautiful. The dino action is visually impressive, but it’s no match for the OG “Jurassic Park.” Remember how Spielberg made us fear and love dinosaurs at the same time? “65” tries, but it just doesn’t get there.
So, what’s the final verdict on “65”? Well, it’s like that giant asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs, but in a parallel universe: it had potential, but it missed the mark. Despite stunning visuals and a cool concept, it falls flat in character development, humor, and overall excitement. Adam Driver’s talent is wasted on a one-note hero, and the chemistry between him and Koa is simply MIA. While the dinos look cool, they can’t make up for the boring storytelling. So, if you’re looking for a dino-packed adventure that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, “65” might leave you feeling more like it’s been 65 million years since you had a good time at the movies. Time to go back and binge-watch the Jurassic Park movies.
