Adam Driver’s ’65’ is Roaring on Hulu Despite a Terrible 36% on Rotten Tomatoes

Surprisingly, films that flop in cinemas can sometimes become sensations on streaming platforms. Take for instance “65“, the dinosaur sci-fi thriller starring Adam Driver, which initially earned a paltry $12.3 million, eventually reaching $60.7 million globally against an estimated budget of $45 million (excluding marketing expenses). Given that studios and theaters share box office revenues almost equally, it was almost a complete financial failure.

As a movie enthusiast, I must confess that “65” wasn’t exactly my cup of tea when it first hit theaters back in March 2023. Critics seemed to agree, giving it a rather dismal 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. But Despite my initial skepticism, I find myself intrigued by the surprising high audience score of 64%. Perhaps there’s something about this film that resonates with viewers more than it does with critics. After all, isn’t that often the case? The world of cinema is a diverse and subjective one, and “65” is yet another example of that fascinating dichotomy.

The character played by the driver is Mills, a space traveler who embarks on a long voyage with his wife and ailing child to traverse the universe. Similar to the premise of ‘Alien’, his colleagues are preserved in a state of suspended animation for the duration of the trip.

In the near future, the ship encounters a shower of meteors, forcing it to crash on an unknown planet. The crash survivors, including Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), soon realize they must journey across the unfamiliar terrain to locate an evacuation vehicle, as they confront dinosaur-like beings along the way.

Without giving anything away, let me clarify the 65 depicts an event 65 million years ago on Earth. The film makes this clear from the start, so there are no surprises later on. To make matters worse, it turns out that a celestial body similar to an asteroid, visible as a ‘fire in the sky,’ is heading our way, just like what caused the extinction of dinosaurs.

What Could go Wrong with Adam Driver vs. Dinosaurs? Everything, Apparently

The movie, titled “65“, was jointly directed and scripted by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, who are primarily recognized for their work on the “A Quiet Place” series and the 2024 critically praised film, “Heretic“. On the surface, “65” appears to be a guaranteed success: it involves astronauts navigating treacherous terrain to escape while being pursued by dinosaurs. With skilled directors and Ryan Reynolds on board, it should have been a box office smash.

Instead, the script lacks originality and follows a formulaic structure, leading many critics to believe that it squandered Driver’s abilities and the film’s overall promise. This is somewhat unusual for the co-writers of “A Quiet Place”. However, the audience seemed to appreciate it, as indicated by its 64% Rotten Tomatoes rating, although their enthusiasm on IMDb was more modest with an average score of 5.4 out of 10.

A wiser choice might be the superior dinosaur film, “Jurassic Park,” often compared to the movie that came out a year after it, titled “65.” Some people view this latter film as essentially a replica of Jurassic Park.

Another movie with a similar theme is “A Sound of Thunder” (2005), directed by Peter Hyams in 2010, featuring Edward Burns, Catherine McCormack, and the consistently excellent Sir Ben Kingsley. This film revolves around a futuristic time-travel company that takes millionaires on dinosaur hunts in the past. The narrative also explores the concept of the ‘butterfly effect’, similar to “Jurassic Park”, where small actions in the past can have significant impacts on the future. Notably, this storyline involves a butterfly. The movie currently holds a 6% critical rating and 18% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with a slightly higher 4.2 rating on IMDb.

65 is currently streaming on Hulu.

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2025-01-10 21:02