by Austen Terry, Contributing Writer
Over the years we have seen lots of coming-of-age stories that take characters on a whirlwind adventure. We have also seen millions of futuristic sci-fi movies explaining that humanity has messed up, and that we must terraform another planet. Disney recently released its newest Disney+ movie called Crater, which combines these elements. The movie was filmed in 2021, and was dropped on the streaming service on my birthday Friday, May 12th; it wasn’t a bad way to close out a birthday weekend. It features various plot points and stories we have seen before, but with a younger cast, the story does seem somewhat fresh and new.
Crater follows a group of kids — Caleb (Isaiah Russell-Bailey), Dylan (Billy Barratt), Borney (Orson Hong), Marcus (Thomas Boyce), and a newcomer to the group, earth girl Addison (McKenna Grace) — who all live on a base on the moon that mines for helium. Caleb’s dad has recently passed away, and per his contract with his company, it means Caleb can go to the new world for free. Not wanting to leave his friends behind, or miss out on seeing this mystical crater his mom and dad always talked about, Caleb convinces his friends and the new girl to steal a rover to drive out to see the crater. As they go on this journey, they of course learn a lot about themselves, and what messed up things their families have been forced into doing, to hope for a chance at the new world.
As always, I have to bring up chemistry, and these kids feel like they have been friends forever. Even Grace’s newcomer character fits well into the group. Grace being the more seasoned actor in the group helps in every way to improve this film. You don’t see much of the adult actors in this, so having kids that can get along well and show that they are friends helps. Crater has been compared to Stand By Me, which is very much the case. It is definitely something the whole family could enjoy, and the acting is a big reason why.
Kyle Patrick Alvarez directs this feature, and he does a fantastic job. Even with this being a Disney production, the CGI is actually pretty good, which makes me wonder if they used the technology they use on The Mandalorian. John Griffin wrote Crater, and though it is his first foray into movies after writing on some TV shows prior, he does a pretty good job with the story. It won’t win awards by any means, but it is a decent enough story, and isn’t a bad way to kill 105 minutes. The cinematography by Jas Shelton is mesmerizing, and as you go through the adventure with these kids finding out more dark things about the company their parents work for, you come to wonder if the hype behind the crater is just that.
The movie is dark in some places — not just in the lighting department, but with the story as well. As the kids learn the things they do, you feel bad for them and their families. To not spoil anything, think of the IOI centers in the Ready Player One book. There are some tough personal situations these characters go through, including the inevitable journey that Caleb is going on. It takes 75 years to get to the new world, so once he wakes up and is unfrozen, he has to face the reality that all his friends are gone. Russell-Bailey delivers a fantastic performance, and deserves some praise for it. Crater’s story reminded me of several others, but left me invested in these kids’ stories, and in finding out what they become.
Score: 6/10
Crater is currently streaming on Disney+
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