Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt stars in 65.
Courtney Howard // Film Critic
65
Rated PG-13, 93 min,
Director: Scott Beck and Bryan Woods
Cast: Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, Chloe Coleman and Nika King
In the midst of our IP-heavy, IP-driven climate, writer-directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods deliver a self-contained, “tight 90” picture with 65. And simplicity is key in this sci-fi adventure centered on a father and a surrogate daughter struggling to survive an inhospitable planet long enough to try to make their escape. With economy of time blessedly in mind, its big action set pieces do double and triple duty, keeping the unrelenting action moving, the dramatic tension building and the pair of protagonists’ stakes at the forefront. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but its clear-eyed ingenuity makes the proceedings feel refreshing and emotionally resonant.
In the text that opens the film, we learn that long before our race, 65 million years ago, there were other humans who explored the vastness of space. One of these, mild-mannered family man Mills (Adam Driver), has taken a job piloting a spaceship across the galaxy due to his family’s need to fund his ailing teen daughter Nevine’s (Chloe Coleman) medical treatments. The mission, transporting passengers on a long range exploratory quest, will take him away for two years – a veritable lifetime when it comes to abandoning a sick child at home with a loving wife (Nika King). Just when it seems like it would be smooth sailing, the ship collides with an unexpected asteroid field and crash lands on prehistoric Earth.
This as-yet unexplored planet is unwelcoming from the jump. There are slimy swamp creatures, gross bugs, and vegetation that can kill humans if ingested. The climate changes as well. Though Mills initially thinks all the passengers have perished in the accident, a ray of hope is delivered when one of the cryo-chambers pings him with a live inhabitant: Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), a young girl traveling with her parents. After awakening and acclimating, she and Mills set out to find the other half of his bifurcated ship where there’s an escape pod that’ll take them to meet up with a rescue vessel on its way. But getting across the dense forest and over mountainous terrain, all whilst fending off many carnivorous dinosaurs, will be a dangerous undertaking.
Beck and Woods do a fine job layering in – and at times subverting – character conflict and conundrums. They carve out moments for humanity to shine through. Mills and Koa’s relationship is reminiscent of Logan and Laura’s in LOGAN or Ripley and Newt’s in ALIENS (and so many more of the like), but with understated elements that supply a sufficient twist on the dynamic. Their bond is painted with light strokes, sharing lighthearted moments in between their battles to survive impending threats – not solely the dinos, but also mother nature’s deadly beauty. There’s a pre-requisite “you lied to me” moment, but it carries real emotional heft by the time it’s dealt with.
Humor ranges from light to pitch black, much like the horror ranges from jump scares to lurking terrors. The filmmakers aren’t afraid to go dark. In one scene, Koa and a reluctant Mills help a baby dino out of a mud pit (as composer Chris Bacon’s score plucks our heartstrings and cinematographer Salvatore Totino’s lighting is saturated with warmth) – only to watch the critter waddle away and be viciously pounced on by a gaggle of ruthless raptors.
Driver shares a soft, tender rapport with Greenblatt. Whether there’s levity, poignancy, or intensity in a sequence, whether they’re befriending each other or running for their lives, the pair inject their performances with strength and vulnerability. There’s rooting interest in their survival because we’ve grown to admire the characteristics they each embody – her compassion and his quick thinking.
With a satisfying third act tying everything up efficiently, this has crowd-pleaser written all over it. While there are few small elements that lack an interesting payoff (like Mills’ worsening wound not making much of a dent in this ticking clock scenario, and the clunky reveal surrounding Nevine’s health status), there’s plenty to quench the thirst of audiences looking for some good ol’ fashioned escapism.
Grade: B+
65 is now playing in theaters.
