Disney+’s Crater follows a group of friends on a Sci-Fi adventure. There’s a good story in there somewhere, but it ultimately falls flat.
Crater tries very hard to channel iconic friendship films like The Goonies, but ultimately it does itself a disservice. There is a good story in here somewhere, so the missteps are a real shame. This movie has a decent cast of kids, all of whom give it their all. But there are some poor decisions that were made, when it comes to both the visual effects and the storytelling, that make Crater a let down.
When Caleb’s father dies in the moon mines he works in, he is told due to an agreement that was made he will be sent to Omega. This means he will leave the only friends he has ever known. Before he is forced to do so, he goes on one last adventure with them, to fulfill his father’s dying wish and visit a crater that is located off the safety of the base.
Crater offers a coming of age story in a family friendly Sci-Fi package. The kids get up to a lot of mischief, with a handful of funny and emotional moments.
What Works With Crater
Crater reminds me of The Goonies in that it is a group of kids on a crazy and dangerous adventure. However, it doesn’t compare to the brilliance that film delivered. It doesn’t spend much time at all with the adults, but rather focuses on the children and what they are going through. Their friendships, their problems, and their feelings. It is a coming of age story that some younger viewers will be able to connect to, especially if they have lost a parent (or two).
There are a few funny moments weaved in to the story, although most of the jokes fall flat. The ending is very touching and emotional, however there are aspects to it that don’t sit well with me, especially as a parent.
Related: Crater Cast Went To Moon Camp – Here’s What They Learned
What Doesn’t Work With Crater
It is very difficult to dive into what doesn’t work in Crater without getting into spoilers, but I will try my best. To start, the whole film centers around those working on the moon talking about going to Omega, an ideal planet. It said that the rich are leaving Earth and going to this oasis, while the poor are contracting years of their lives on the mines in the moon so that they can afford to go, or for their children to go.
However, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Earth. We literally are shown what the Earth looks like at one point and it is beautiful. Nature is thriving. So why would these people commit twenty years of their lives, and potentially their children’s lives, to get to Omega when staying on Earth is a perfectly viable option? McKenna Grace’s character Addison is from Earth and she speaks of trees and blue skies.
So why is everyone leaving Earth? This question is never answered and because of that, the entire story of Crater makes no sense at all.
One of the characters has an enlarged heart, which is mentioned several times. However it doesn’t really have anything to do with how the film plays out and feels like an unnecessary storyline. In fact, there is one part where it comes up, and just makes a certain scene way too convoluted, with too much going on.
When it comes to the ending of Crater, most viewers are going to be quite upset. You go the entire movie thinking that a certain something is going to happen and when it doesn’t, it is frustrating. Not to mention that the way the ending comes about is absolutely horrible — and honestly feels like a crime. There is some emotion shoved in there to soften the blow, and young kids might have a hard time swallowing it, but too many of the plot points are just going to make the audience mad.
Overall Thoughts
Overall, the adventure aspect of the story is nice. Seeing the kids bond and have fun together is a joy at times — the bright spot of the movie. There are a lot of storytelling decisions that were made that are quite heavy and unnecessary. I didn’t hate this movie, but I didn’t like it either. This is one that I won’t ever be revisiting.
Disney’s Crater had a lot of potential, but the story itself just doesn’t make sense. With a frustrating ending, even the fun adventures the kids have can’t save this one.
Rating: 1.5 out of 5
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About Crater
“Crater” is the coming-of-age adventure story of Caleb Channing (Isaiah Russell-Bailey), who was raised on a lunar mining colony and is about to be permanently relocated to an idyllic faraway planet following the death of his father (Scott Mescudi).
But before leaving, to fulfill his dad’s last wish, he and his three best friends, Dylan (Billy Barratt), Borney (Orson Hong) and Marcus (Thomas Boyce), and a new arrival from Earth, Addison (Mckenna Grace), hijack a rover for one final adventure on a journey to explore a mysterious crater.
Crater is now streaming on Disney+.
