Summary
It is a sentimental film about a group of best friends who want to experience one last adventure before one of them is forced to leave.
We review the 2023 Disney Plus film Crater, which does not contain significant spoilers.
Everyone loves the idea of space and what could possibly be out there. Almost all space films have trained astronauts, and they’re all in their mid-30s to late-50s. There have been sci-fi films that have children in them, but not children that explore planets and the galaxy.
That is the difference with the new Disney Plus film Crater. There is a group of children who have been friends for a while; they have all looked after Caleb (Isaiah Russell-Bailey) after his father passed. And now he is being advised to move to another mining colony because it is written in his documents.
The young children are handy with their tools and constantly discover new things around the colony. They’re all very intelligent, and this sci-fi adventure lets children who are obsessed with space live through all of them. It’s a different level of fun seeing space through the eyes of a child.
Crater (2023) Review and Plot Summary
After his father’s death, a boy growing up on a lunar mining colony takes a trip to explore a legendary crater and his four best friends before being permanently relocated to another planet.
From one base to another, the group of best friends seeks adventure because of Caleb. They want to experience something together in order to understand what’s out there. They only know the colony they live on and have conversations about what other planets look like, even Earth.
The important thing about a group of friends is that they all learn from each other and look after one another. In a way, they act like chosen family, especially after Caleb’s dad passed away. They learn how to get out of sticky situations and become wiser about the world they currently live in.
Is the 2023 film Crater good or bad?
The sentiment behind Crater is good as it grounds the story through the emotional connection between father and son. Once that is built at the beginning of the film, the rest of it is filled with adventure. It has good moments for the lead character, but once they are in the group, the performances aren’t strong enough to carry this two-hour film.
On top of that, the practical effects and CGI aren’t up to par, as you can tell that a lot of it looks fake, which eliminates the believability. You can almost tell that it’s make-believe, which is unfortunate because young kids want to believe they can make it to the moon eventually.
It’s not necessarily a bad film, but it does drag once they leave the colony and venture out to find the crater. The connection with Caleb does hold it down, but it’s still not enough to make this enjoyable.
Is the 2023 film Crater worth watching?
Crater takes itself a bit too seriously, and it doesn’t feel like an adventure at all. Even though it is sentimental, it doesn’t have the excitement that other sci-fi films usually have. The adventurous aspect isn’t quite there because the chemistry between the cast and their given destination doesn’t have any stakes to it.
McKenna Grace is also in this film, and it was nice to see her again in an ensemble. She is the strongest of the cast, but she also couldn’t uplift the film. This group ends up discussing serious matters more than experiencing actual adventure, which is where the disconnect is.
What did you think of the 2023 Disney Plus film Crater? Comment below.
