uring the summer of 1982 in the picturesque Flowervale suburbs, the seemingly idyllic Platt family partakes in the cheery activities of Oak Street’s annual block party. But bubbling just underneath the serene surface, Denise (Anne Hathaway) has been struggling with her husband Greg’s (Ewan McGregor) lies, drinking, and flagging communication regarding his career. And their children have their own problems: Audrey (Maisy Stella) worries about the challenges of going off to college, while her younger brother Brian (Christian Convery) concerns himself with impressing the pretty neighbor girl (Jordan Alexa Davis) and avoiding a bully. But when a cosmic phenomenon transports the entire neighborhood to the prehistoric past, the Platt family must set aside their grievances to work together if they hope to survive their deadly new environment, brimming with Jurassic hostilities.

Oak Street, not to be confused with Elm Street, should probably be Oak Circle, since it’s a cul-de-sac. But no matter; it’s the plain, cozy setting for escalating familial issues manifesting as dinosaur rampages. It begins with a hint of the mayhem to come, with an alien-like plant growing in the middle of elderly Mrs. Huddleston’s backyard; but the primary conflict at first is teenager dramedy, ranging from light romances to trouble with classmates. And this leads to concerns about money, to arguments with neighbors, to marital contention; a happy veneer hides deep sorrows.

But the rather typical, little dramas abruptly receive a major dose of sci-fi – even if the lead-in is long enough that it actually bores a touch; it’s quite obvious from the advertising that “The End of Oak Street” is about dinosaurs. It’s also unusual in that it never really tries to deviate from a markedly Spielbergian flavor; with its focus on child protagonists, disbelieving (or quarreling) adults, mild creepiness amid considerable adventure, and its purposeful ‘80s environment, this picture undoubtedly hopes to recreate a nostalgic moviegoing experience from the past. It also borrows from “Jumanji” and “Zathura,” though it possesses some of the sensibilities – and certainly the sense of exploration – of Harryhausen works like “Mysterious Island.” It definitely has some scares, alongside violence (a few of the sequences remind of “War of the Worlds” and “Death of a Unicorn,” alongside zombie apocalypse forays, or “The Mist” in its darkest seconds), but it’s generally aiming to be a more family-friendly sort of thriller.

Of course, it borrows most heavily from “Jurassic Park,” reusing plenty of that film’s visual gimmicks and suspenseful close-calls. It’s not really even an homage as much as it just steals specific ideas. And yet, its curious mix of old-fashioned adventure and modernized shocks makes it more amusing than many of the recent entries into that aforementioned franchise; it’s one of the better “Jurassic Park” films that isn’t actually a “Jurassic Park” film. Even the score by Michael Giacchino boasts some of the same playful notes and thunderous tones. “Is this the end of the world?”

With a mention of Carl Sagan to counter faith with science, the film offers up brief explanations and reasoning – hollow as it may be with its outlandish premise – before it resorts again to kids doing stupid things, characters acting much too bravely (so much of this film features people strolling along in broad daylight, far from cover), and comedy arising to balance out the dino-munching atrocities. Practical effects shots work nicely among the mostly convincing CG, while a few surprises – including unexpectedly believable traumas – pop up, even if an excessive amount of obliviousness to giant monsters lumbering right beside the leads gives the most exciting imagery an undeniable silliness. Ultimately, even with its overly tidy conclusion, it’s a decent amount of fun – an odd throwback to movies of yore, which steadily alternates between trite and pulse-pounding.

The Massie Twins