Review of 65 (2023) by Boxleitner — 16 Apr 2023

A story of loss and the need to continue against all odds in the face of it, “65” squanders opportunities to not only be memeable, but to also develop its characters, their homeworld of Somaris, as well as to present its beautiful CGI monsters clearly and properly. In what seems to be an effort to be sensitive to younger audiences, the directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods decided to avoid presenting the pivotal scenes of death in the plot and with it, most of the emotion and distress it causes, thus vastly cheapening the story’s experience or any value it might have had to the viewer. Their complete lack of spine in the telling is not uncommon in this generation of Hollywood, one which is obsessed with keeping appearances, leaving good impressions and avoiding hurting any feelings. The movie industry is currently swamped in this ideology; a cancer which is nigh impossible to remove since those in power refuse to hire anyone who disagrees, preferring to languish in their echo chambers, unable to see their shortcomings and choosing only to receive praise at every turn. In a pivotal moment in this movie, when Adam Driver’s life is in danger, he delivers every ounce of emotion and determination only for his co-lead to seem uncomfortable instead of involved. This is absolutely a director’s choice; one that is weighed down by the need to avoid any controversy. What could have been a story of love for our fellow man, and a richly developed tale of a father becomes anecdotal in the hands of mediocre developers. We cannot easily identify with the characters and they are not sufficiently engaging due to the poor script and presentation (but at no fault of their own).

Furthermore, the exciting and wonderful CGI beasts in the film are presented at odd angels, momentarily and without true love or consideration to the incredible work put into them. So many monster moments could have been fleshed out and given weight, but instead dissipate. One baby dinosaur in the movie could have gone on to be the next Grogu, if the directors would have had any insight. The movie is poorly shot in general, leaving the viewer frustrated and wishing for a better view of the action.

But the greatest loss, in my opinion, was the chance for this movie to become a cult classic thru the use of imaginative language and word play. The fact that the characters speak different languages could have been the premise for some hilarious dialogue, interaction and brevity. Excellent examples of proper use of this premise can be seen in Luc Besson’s “The Fifth Element” or Wolfgang Petersen’s “Enemy Mine”, both of which are meaningful tales that have staying power in the hearts and minds of their audiences. In conclusion, “65” avoids the chance to be heartfelt and engaging, and thus becomes ignorable; one of many such titles that fade into obscurity.