By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
"Crater" is the new the lightweight, sci-fi drama from director
Kyle Patrick Alvarez (TV's "Heels") and screenwriter
John Griffin (TV's "Magic: The Gathering") which is streaming on Disney+.
The coming-of-age space adventure isn't one of Disney's best kiddie offerings. It's often slow moving and comes up short in the excitement and fun department.
"Crater" is set in 2257. The Moon is a mining colony that is inhabited by families. The precious commodity there is helium and it's used to charge their starships that transport humans to the far-away planet, Omega.
The recently orphaned kid Caleb Channing (Isaiah Russell-Bailey, TV's "Family Reunion") was raised on the lunar mining colony, but his father (rapper/actor Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi, "House Party" and "The Harder They Fall") was killed in the line of duty. Now, Caleb is rewarded with a new life on Omega which takes 75 years to reach.
There's a special process called cryostasis, that Caleb must go through before embarking on this journey. It allows him to stay the same age he is now once he reaches the destination.
The last people Caleb will ever see and know prior to departing are his good friends Dylan (Billy Barratt, "The Other Me"), Borney (Orson Hong), Marcus (Thomas Boyce), and an Earthling named Addison, (Mckenna Grace, "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie").
Caleb's father wanted him to visit "The Crater" and Caleb believes now would be a good time for him and his friends to go there to honor his heroic dad. The group of kids hijack a six-wheeled Rover to drive them to it, unaware of any danger that may be lurking on this 12-hour expedition.
When they arrive at "The Crater" they discover that it's like a planetarium and a glimpse into what Earth kind of looks like.
I suppose tossing in some darker elements, like some flesh-eating monsters on the prowl would have made "Crater" a bit too dark for its intended audience, but it sure could have used a bit more snap, crackle and pop, story wise to make it more edgy and intriguing instead of bland and boring.
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Look At This Trailer For
"CRATER"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
