Crater

I am concerned that today's CGI-fed adrenaline crowd is losing appreciation for good story-telling. I find it difficult to believe this film only has a 5.6 average rating as of this posting. Then there's the ever-present attitude-laden 1-star "worst movie ever" ratings, which are nonsense. Fair-notice: In this review I'm gonna de-bunk some of the criticisms. ; )

This is simply good science fiction, not from the standpoint of space battles or giant robots, but from the standpoint of five friends who go through a significant time in their lives.

The characters are diverse and well-acted. The directing is excellent, the script well-written (for the most part), music appropriate. No there aren't any giant space ships or Kaiju here. This is simply a heart warming story about friendship... and the movie has an appropriate ending.

The debunking: We have to remember this story is viewed through the eyes of young teenagers-- not adults-- and the majority of those teens have been raised in an enclosed, very limited environment. Their viewpoint won't be the same as ours. In addition it's a youth movie. It will appeal to many adults as it did to me... but it's still produced as youth entertainment. We shouldn't judge this from a demanding-adult perspective.

"IT'S NOT SCIENCE FICTION". Nonsense. It's about teenagers raised in a mining facility on the Moon, who take a Moon rover across the surface of the Moon, engage in activities that could only occur on the Moon (and would not work on Earth), and face dangers found only on the Moon. That is science fiction. Yes, it is a road-trip coming-of-age film as well, but it is still science fiction. Almost the entire film is set on the MOON, under Moon-specific conditions.

GRAVITY: Many science fiction movies and shows-- whether they mention it or not-- employ the concept of artificial gravity. It was introduced in 1966 with Star Trek (if not earlier) and has continued ever since. So yes... when someone is indoors or in a vehicle, the gravity is different than it is on the surface of the moon. The characters don't need to look at each another and blatantly point out, "Wow, isn't this artificial gravity great?". It's kind of a given. Artificial gravity has become a standard trope of scifi films. So if we see characters exhibiting normal gravity conditions, we just take it for granted artificial gravity is being employed.

"MAGICAL CURE": One user complained about one of the kids with a heart condition "magically cured" when he was in the Rover. No... he was very visibly given his medicine, specifically intended for just that purpose. They did emphasize that same medicine several times during the movie.

"NOT SCIENTIFICALLY ACCURATE": That is why they call this science fiction... a concept which often stretches and bends science to fit the story. For the purposes of this movie the science was accurate enough. If you're one of those people that absolutely demands 100% scientific accuracy, you might stick to documentaries and avoid science fiction entirely. But a caution: even documentaries probably won't meet your demand of scientific perfection. Science is kind of an ongoing study.

AIRLOCKS: Space vehicles and buildings do not always require airlocks. The Rover was a prime example. Instead of an airlock, the vehicle stores all the internal oxygen in tanks until a vacuum is created, then opens the rear hatch. Once the passengers return, are inside and the hatch closed, the oxygen restoration system is triggered. Same holds true with building entry-ways. Systems of the future aren't all 2001 A Space Odyssey. Even today underwater habitats are entered through an open hole in the floor, and water is kept out by the internal air pressure of the habitat. There's more than one way to enter and exit differing atmospheres and environments than using complex airlock systems.

Etc. Etc.

I give this movie only 7 stars for good reasons: The concept of the kids stealing a rover during a dangerous meteor shower warning, overriding station security during said shutdown, and the destructive display later in the movie (no spoilers)... as if that's all okay. Poor lessons to teach younger viewers. I'm sure they get a kick out of it entertainment-wise, but it would be nice if Disney could figure out less-criminal methods to accomplish their morality plays.

Given the environment those kids were in, they quite likely could have all died and endangered others in the process. Kids do crazy things and do get in trouble, but they also often wind up in confinement afterward for such criminal acts. Teach better lessons, Disney.

Wait, what am I saying? It's Disney; they've been teaching kids bad lessons for years. ; )

It still would be nice to NOT glorify open criminal defiance of essential security measures and willful (and shameful) destruction of property. So only 7 stars.

Despite these drawbacks, the movie was a fun watch, and the overall story well done. I found it entertaining, and the interaction between the characters very-well formed.

This movie had so much potential! Squandered completely squandered moments denied to us by writer and Director. This movie could've gone in so many directions; towards social injustice, toward future and time travel; and many other sci-fi, realms; toward a love story; or just ... anywhere! They took us to the top of the cliff, and left us standing there, saying "You could have! Too bad you didn't try harder!"

Unlike the little engine that could this movie doesn't accomplish anything at all. The main character's conflict is a non-starter. A discussion on what indentured servitude is could have been enlightening to kids about to get first jobs, the audience is there-where's the writing?

I was wondering if there is no friends of the people who were involved in this production. Why is it with a low evaluation. Its 4,7 when I write this.

It its a Disney production with a beautifull coming of age story. There are the elements of drama and comedy and a family like story, that can atract a public of young age and adults.

Some picky adults will complain about some sciency inacuracy in some sequences. But it serves the script.

I am not an English native, so, pardon my mispells or another errors. I could use some translation tools, but I chose not to.

Those were a light almost 90 minutes of leisure.

This film offers a charming, albeit familiar, adventure that's easy to enjoy but hard to love deeply. The story follows a group of kids on a lunar journey, and while it hits the right notes of friendship and discovery, it doesn't push the boundaries of the genre. The visuals are decent, and the lunar landscapes create a sense of wonder, but the plot doesn't break new ground-it's the kind of story you've seen before. The characters are likable, though some lack the depth that would make their journey truly resonate. There's heart here, and the film's intentions are good, but it never quite reaches the emotional highs it aims for. Crater is a pleasant watch, especially for a younger audience, but it's not a film that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Initially, this reminded me of one of those stories that might have been written by Enid Blyton and made by the Children's Film Foundation. It's starring children and it's, primarily, for children too. After the death of his father in the lunar mines, "Caleb" (Isaiah Russell-Bailey) is to be shipped to the ultimate "Omega" colony were he is to be fostered in luxury. He's not keen, and when chatting with his three friends they decide to pinch a rover vehicle and go for a joyride outside of their base. They need a code to open the doors though, and that's where "Addison" (Mckenna Grace) comes in - and off they go. At times the rest of this is quite entertaining - the kids get to be kids in space suits with oxygen tanks as propulsion units and foolery ensues. Sadly, though, the writers can't resist and the melodrama soon comes bounding over the crater and sinks the whole thing. It can't quite decide if it's an adventure film or a drama, and sadly falls between both stools. The actors are quite good, and I think had they been left to deliver an action film as they explore the Moon having fun and mishaps along the way, it would have been very much better. As it is, the soft-focus father/son reminiscences just clogged the whole thing up, dragged the pace down and left me a little bit bored. It's watchable though, just not memorable.