Crater (film)

Plot

In 2257, humans mine the Moon for resources after failing to colonize it. Miners sign a 20-year contract before they can take a shuttle to colonize the planet Omega; if a miner dies before their term ends, their next of kin over 18 must serve the remaining years plus their own 20. Caleb Channing's father Michael dies in a mining accident. Caleb does not want to leave.

His father left him a map to a crater he promised to show him. Caleb and his best friend Dylan, along with friends Borney and Marcus, decide to steal a lunar rover and visit the crater before Caleb must depart. Dylan recruits Addison Weaver, a scientist's daughter from Earth, to obtain the passcodes to leave the base; she agrees on the condition she can join. The five take the rover onto the Moon's surface.

During the journey, the children reveal personal details: Borney's neurotic tendencies stem from stories his older brother told him; Marcus has a heart condition requiring pills; Dylan's father nearly abandoned his family due to mining work. While playing with oxygen canisters, Borney nearly drifts into space but is rescued. Low on oxygen, they find an outpost that turns out to be a model home from the planned Moon colonization. They find oxygen and food and spend the night.

Addison tells stories about Earth history and her fear of humanity losing everything to time; she explains that after her parents divorced, her father brought her to the Moon while her mother took her younger brother Charlie to Omega. The next day the rover's battery dies. Addison presses the emergency call button before they proceed to the crater.

Production

John Griffin's spec script appeared on the 2015 Black List, receiving 34 votes. On November 8, 2017, 20th Century Fox purchased the script from a pitch by visual effects supervisor Rpin Suwannath. Development halted after Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Shawn Levy was initially in negotiations to direct, but Kyle Patrick Alvarez replaced him on January 12, 2021; Levy instead produced alongside Dan Levine through 21 Laps Entertainment.

The film moved from theatrical release to a Disney+ streaming premiere. Mckenna Grace was cast in March 2021 alongside Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Billy Barratt, Orson Hong, and Thomas Boyce; Scott Mescudi joined in May. Brady Noon was reportedly cast as Hector but does not appear in the final film. Principal photography ran from June 21, 2021 to August 20, 2021 at Celtic Studios in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with additional filming in Los Angeles. A first look image was shared on March 29, 2023.

Reception

Brandon Yu of The New York Times called Crater lighthearted and fun, noting it does not strain to please beyond the family crowd and incorporates an emotional core that makes its story more interesting than the adventure itself. Valerie Complex of Deadline Hollywood praised the production design and cast performances, stating that while the film can be hokey and convenient for the protagonists, it has something to say about the labor force and an environmental message about cherishing Earth.

Michael Nordine of Variety praised Mckenna Grace's performance and said the film offers a quiet voice to its characters' fraught plight. Mini Anthikad Chhibber of The Hindu found it a heart-warming adventure story and praised the actors' performances. Robert Daniels of RogerEbert.com gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, praising Kyle Patrick Alvarez's direction and calling it a soul-stirring escapade that introduces young audiences to ways to reform the fractured world they call home, though noting it might be too dark thematically for some tweens.

Jennifer Green of Common Sense Media gave it 3 out of 5 stars, complimenting positive messages, role models, courage, perseverance, and diverse representation.