FEATURED MOVIE REVIEW: 65

By John Mulderig/OSV News

NEW YORK. Feeling nostalgic for the Mesozoic Era? You won’t be after seeing the sci-fi adventure “65” (PG-13, Sony).

The film’s title refers to the millions of years into the past to which co-writers and directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods transport their audience. Not exactly a frolicsome time as far as Mother Nature was concerned.

So, the protagonist, a humanoid alien named Mills (Adam Driver), discovers after the spaceship he pilots is wrecked by meteors and he’s forced to crash land on an unknown planet that turns out to be Earth. Humanoid is a rather loose term here since Mills is, in every respect, just a person who happens to be from outer space.

The same can be said of the only other survivor of the disaster, a young passenger called Koa (Ariana Greenblatt). She reminds Mills of Nevine (Chloe Coleman), the ailing daughter he left at home when he embarked on his mission. Thus he’s naturally disposed to protect and care for the lass.

To save themselves, the duo must trek to a rescue vehicle that detached from the main vessel and now lies atop a nearby mountain. Along the way, they’ll have to dodge an array of predatory creatures, including dinosaurs large and small. What follows is a vivid demonstration of the fact that — the adventures of Fred Flintstone notwithstanding — people and dinos don’t mix.

Mills’ determination to safeguard his accidental protege is admirable. And the bond that develops between the two is enjoyable to observe. Yet, what with the mud, the outsized bugs and the rapacious raptors hovering in the skies, the arduous journey on screen becomes a toilsome slog for viewers as well.

On the upside, Beck and Woods include few objectionable ingredients in their script. So “65” is probably acceptable for older teens. Still, the best advice for moviegoers young or grown is likely “Yabba dabba don’t.”

The film contains images of a gory wound, potentially upsetting plot developments, at least one mild oath and about a half-dozen crude terms. The OSV News classification is A-III — adults.

(Formerly a staff member for Catholic News Service, John Mulderig has been reviewing visual media from a Catholic perspective for 15 years. His column is syndicated by OSVNews.)