65 Film Review; Even Adam Driver Can’t Save This Sci-fi Thriller.

INTRODUCTION.

“65” is a movie of the science fiction, action, and thriller genre that was released in 2023. The film was written and directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and featured Adam Driver and Ariana Greenblatt as the main cast. It was co-produced by Columbia Pictures, Bron Creative, Raimi Productions, TSG Entertainment, and Beck/Woods.

In February 2021, Danny Elfman was announced as the music composer, but in March 2023, it was revealed that Chris Bacon had also produced a new soundtrack. While both were initially to be credited, Bacon was eventually credited as the sole composer, with Elfman being labeled as a co-composer on certain tracks.

65, released on the 10th of March, runs for 1 hour 32 minutes.

SYNOPSIS.

Following a disastrous accident on an unfamiliar planet, Mills, a pilot portrayed by Adam Driver, soon realizes that he is stranded on Earth but 65 million years in the past. With a lone opportunity for rescue, Mills and his sole companion, Koa (played by Ariana Greenblatt), have to navigate through an unfamiliar landscape filled with dangerous prehistoric beasts in a thrilling struggle for survival. 

65 OFFICIAL MOVIE TRAILER.

65 FILM REVIEW.

“65” starts with a very soothing, calm, and musical sound introducing us to the beach where Mills, his wife, and his daughter who is ill, spend some time together on planet SOMARIS. Mills is conversing with his beautiful wife about how he will tell his only daughter Nevine that he will be gone for two years as he heads an exploration mission. Looking for when and how to tell his daughter, he is beckoned by her as she struggles to make any whistling sound by blowing air into her closed palm. “Dad!, I can’t do it”; she cries out as her dad approaches her.

Mills teaches her, and after some practice, she finally gets it. Her face lit in excitement as she tells her dad, “I know that you’re leaving, and I know it’s cause of me.” Her dad reassures her he isn’t leaving because of her; instead, it is for her.

As he goes for his exploration, he travels through space. His airship comes across a gathering of meteorites and moves between them; as the airship moves, these meteorites hit it, and this causes the ship to malfunction and crash on an uncharted planet – Earth. The impact of the airship leads to the death of almost all the passengers, except Mills, who was left with an injury.

Since he was the only survivor, he waited till morning when there was light to look around his environment. While looking for a place to stay the night before, he sees a monstrous hole on the ground caused by a three-fingered creature of which he knows nothing about. In the morning, he discovers that the environment could erupt and when it does that, it produces a white-like fluid or powder that can burn the skin. Trying to get used to his new environment, Mills is attacked by a baby dinosaur-like creature and struggles with the beast until he kills it.

He looks around for nothing in particular until he sees another survivor, a little girl who is too scared to talk to him. She, being afraid, runs off as he tries to approach her. He pursues her till he gets her. Too bad that where he finally catches up with her is where a mighty dinosaur died.

Mills takes her to safety, asks her questions to know her, and explains himself and his role to her to make her feel comfortable. Mills discovers that she (Koa) speaks a foreign language, so he teaches her English and tells her the plan and how they intend to escape this planet.

As I watched this film, so many questions flooded my head. Some of which were – will they escape the planet? Will one of them die? Will they lose a part of their body?.

I enjoyed this film. It is a slow-paced adventurous drama film. There are only about four characters in this film and I loved each of them. I’ve seen just one movie by Mills, ‘House of Gucci.’ He impressed in that role as a quiet son of a very wealthy man. Here also, he impressed as a timid, though, a brave pilot who had to survive through an unknown planet and try to find his way out.

I loved the sounds and songs used in this film. The music in this film is one of its most impressive qualities. The way the director chose to use them shows how good the director is. I especially enjoyed the sound of the flute at the beginning of the film. Songs and sound are used in this film in numerous ways, making 65 much more enjoyable.

The CGI is also impressive. The dinosaur, the forest, etc. The CGI makes them look real and natural. I loved it.

The cinematography is good. The effects, too, both special and visual effects, though, despite all praises accorded to this film, the plot is clear-cut and foreseeable. A male protagonist confronts several challenges, most of which are alike, and he manages to surmount them. The storyline revolves around two characters only, and their conversations are brief. While this approach may seem adequate initially, as the story progresses, I discover that needs to be more exploration of these characters. Due to the lack of character depth, I lost interest and cared less about the resulting outcomes. Moreover, the movie’s title could be more helpful as it holds no significance or intrigue to generate audience curiosity.

DID YOU KNOW?

According to IMDB, the movie’s dinosaurs underwent various production stages, starting with early concept art that featured more scientifically accurate prehistoric animals such as herbivores and a Lystrosaurus. 

This suggested that the film was set in the Triassic period. However, the filmmakers eventually abandoned realism and opted for more fantastical dinosaurs better suited for a science fiction thriller. The feathered raptors, for example, were depicted as scaly monsters with quills, and the T. rex in King Kong (2005) was inspired by the mythical V. rex and adorned with spike-like quills. Some of the species in the film were entirely imaginary, but they resembled larger versions of real animals from the Triassic period.

Despite having more monstrous heads, the flying reptiles in the movie were more scientifically accurate.

CONCLUSION.

I enjoyed this film because of several things which the film did well. The story is not perfect but it is a bit enjoyable with underdeveloped characters and plot holes. I recommend this movie to any sci-fi adventure film lover who wouldn’t mind watching a film with plot holes.

65 is rated PG-13 for dramatic sci-fi action, peril, and short gory visuals. It is available in select theaters and on Vudo and Prime Videos.

All images used are from 65 movie.

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