65

Children and adults alike are fascinated by dinosaurs. The thought that this world was once inhabited by terrifying beasts arouses the imagination. People have shown their love for the dinosaur movie genera by flocking to the various “Jurassic Park” and “Jurassic World” films, anxious to see depictions of dinosaurs and humans together. With the public’s love for dinosaur action, I was surprised to find only a handful of other moviegoers in the theater on the opening night of “65.” It seems to have all the right elements for a successful dino film… a big-name star in Adam Driver, the interesting premise of a space traveler crashing on a world in which dinosaurs roam, a script by the writers of the very successful “A Quiet Place,” and lots of visually stunning action. But even with all these positives, “65” just seems to fall a little flat.

The premise of the film is a little confusing, as we are told that it is set “before the advent of man,” yet we have seemingly human characters from other worlds with advanced technology exploring the cosmos. One of these explorers is Mills (Adam Driver), a pilot about to leave his wife and daughter for a two year mission. Mills is hesitant to go but feels that he must for financial reasons surrounding his daughter’s illness. As she struggles with being the cause of his leaving, he lovingly tells her, “I’m not going because of you. I’m going for you.” The devotion that Mills has for his family is refreshing.

However, the two year mission becomes instead a fight for survival on an uncharted planet populated by fearsome creatures and huge insects. Even the environment of the planet itself is deadly, with a landscape in tumultuous upheaval brimming with threats at every turn. Can Mills and another survivor escape the deadly unknown planet before it is too late?

The movie feels like a rather slow race against time. The continual peril in which the characters find themselves is exhausting to watch. While there is some exciting action, it becomes a repetitive over time. Lead actors Adam Driver and young Ariana Greenblatt do their best with incredibly limited dialog and a relatively short runtime (93 minutes). While there is very little objectionable in the film (other than violent peril, some language and Evolutionism), there is also very little that I found to be truly memorable. A few scenes play out dramatically, but it is hard to become immersed in the characters and their motivations when they are in such continual unabated peril.

A major theme of the film is the age of Earth. This movie promotes the Evolutionary worldview that Earth is many billions of years old. This view does not hold up against a literal reading of the Bible, but I will not attempt to disseminate that here when there are already many fine articles to be found on this very foundational topic. Also, the film proposes that there is not just life on other planets but that the life found there seems to be human. Does life exist elsewhere? Again, these articles will better answer that question than I could in this brief review. Besides these problematic topics, the movie does have some other content of concern.

VIOLENCE: Characters are in constant peril of attacks by frightening creatures, hazards from the environment and more. Wounds are seen, sometimes in close detail. Dead bodies are shown. A character contemplates suicide. Someone foams at the mouth and vomits in a disturbing sequence. Various creatures are shot, beaten, and burned. There are frequent jump scares. Characters are sometimes trapped with no way to escape. Children in my viewing audience cried in fear at some scenes, especially when the young girl Koa was in danger.

LANGUAGE: There are several uses of “sh*t,” sometimes from the mouth of a child. “Damn” is used once.

SEXUALITY: A married couple embraces briefly. There is no nudity, and this movie is refreshingly free of any sexual references or innuendo.

OTHER: The worldview of other civilizations existing before humans were on earth is not Biblical. The concept of Earth existing for millions of years is a premise of the film.

Although I did not find “65” to be very memorable, it has a Biblically sound theme about doing whatever one can to protect those who are in danger. In this way it hit some of the same notes as “A Quiet Place,” an earlier work by the same writers. But where I found “A Quiet Place” to be an excellent film more about the family than the monsters, “65” seems like a vessel for just showing monstrous action with some attempt at drama added. I appreciate the effort, and I give it more value than the often crass and ridiculous latter films in the “Jurassic World” franchise, but it felt a little bit one-note.

The worldview concerns surrounding extraterrestrial life and millions of years of Evolution make me hesitate to recommend “65” to audiences who may be confused or misled. With these concerns as well as the constant violence and terror, it is certainly not for young children despite having a child as one of the lead characters.

• Violence: Very Heavy
• Vulgar/Crude language: Moderate— • S-words (3)
• Profane language: Mild— • D*mn
• Nudity: None
• Sex: None
• Drugs/Alcohol: None
• Occult: None
• Wokeism: None

Editor’s comment

Followers of Christ should alert about this film’s promotion of ANCIENT ALIENS or ANCIENT ASTRONAUTS theory, because this is an issue that is truly deceiving a very great number of people, partly because it is presented as scientific and archaeological (both false claims). At its base, it is a lie being used by godless people to “scientifically” explain away Biblical miracles and events—and God Himself.

This tactic started with atheist author H.P. Lovecraft. Years later, this pseudo-scientific idea was famously promoted by Erich von Däniken (Chariots of the Gods) and others. The Director of this film was inspired by von Däniken, and says so. This idea has particularly been used by some whose worldviews are New Age or Evolutionism/Atheism (or both).

The claim is that extraterrestrials with advanced technology came to Earth in ancient times and were mistaken for gods, angels and supernatural activity—and that out of these encounters with naive and unsophisticated humans (who misunderstood what they witnessed), humans began to worship these aliens—and the world’s religions (including Christianity) are the end result.

I have researched these claims in considerable depth, including attending von Däniken lectures. I am in agreement with many other researchers, the so-called evidence for this fantasy is filled with foolish errors and serious outright lies and deceptions.

Nonetheless, many sci-fi books, movies and TV shows have eagerly used and promoted what is essentially a dangerous Atheist-inspired worldview.

What difference does it make? When accepted, this pseudo-science leads people directly away from Biblical truth about Earth’s Creation, mankind’s place in God’s plan, Earth’s history of wicked rebellion against the Creator, and the record of His judgments. Inherent in this worldview is rejection of belief in God and the Bible. People are less likely to perceive their spiritually bankrupt state before God and are more unlikely to want—or listen to—the Gospel.

Entertainment dramas that use the ancient extraterrestrial encounters fantasy and thus promote it some extent…

• “Stargate” (2001)
• “Prometheus” (2012)
• “Knowing” (2009)
• “Thor” (2011)
• “The X-Files: Fight the Future” (1998), etc.
• “Alien vs. Predator” (2004)
• Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), and most of the “Transformers” series
• “Outlander” (2008)
• “The Fifth Element” (1997)
• “Mission To Mars” (2000)
• “Star Trek” various episodes, including “Star Trek: The Next Generation—The Chase,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation—Who Watches the Watchers” —Gene Roddenberry, creator of “Star Trek” was an opponent of all beliefs in God
• 65 (2023)
• “2001: A Space Odyssey”—the monolith
• “Earth: Final Conflict”
• “Space: 1999”
• “Quatermass and the Pit”
• …and many more

If nothing else, the mere CONSTANT REPETITION of this view of history in entertainment media is causing it to become embedded in the minds of billions of people, making it somehow seem to them less ludicrous than it really is. Discerning Christians know that we and God have an Enemy who is the father of lies who seeks to deceive the whole world.

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

• Positive
• Neutral