REVIEW #155 The Adam Project (2022)

Directed by Shawn Levy, The Adam Project follows Adam Reed as he accidentally crash lands in 2022 and is forced to team up with his 12 year old self for a mission to save the future. 

CAST & THE ACTING 

Ryan Reynolds leads the cast as the older Adam Reed and he brings his usual comedic charm to the film, except this time he is equally matched by 13 year old Walker Scobell. That casting was perfect because his personality, comedic timing and delivery of dialogue rival that of Reynolds and to think this was his first acting role too! The pair have fantastic chemistry and because they are very similar it helped create an authentic portrayal of the same character from different time periods. Mark Ruffalo plays the role of their father Louis Reed and it’s very similar to how he portrays Bruce Banner, he does create a really likeable character so he serves his purpose. Jennifer Garner and Zoe Saldaña have relatively small roles but they still deliver strong performances nonetheless. Garner plays Adam’s mum Ellie and Saldaña portrays Adam’s future wife Laura. So The Adam project actually has a great cast and they all perform well, granted it doesn’t showcase any dramatic talents but a Reynolds led sci-fi adventure film was never going to have that anyway.

THE STORYLINE

The concept is relatively simple and easy to understand, the time travel aspect is explained pretty well so there is no confusion surrounding that but the main issue is that the film has a very weak antagonist. I don’t want to spoilt it so I won’t reveal her motives but the character Maya Sorian had no substance at all. It’s a shame because the other characters have so much personality and charm, they really carry the film. The dynamic between the younger and older Adam was great and an aspect I loved, the moments between those two characters were probably my favourite scenes in the film. Despite it being very comedic, it actually has a lot of heart and emotion too. These are two different versions of the same person, both have trauma that they help each other deal with and that creates a few emotional moments that help give the film that little something extra. 

CINEMATOGRAPHY & SPECIAL EFFECTS 

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the cinematography and the special effects, it was high quality and helped enhance the film for sure. Filmed in Vancouver it provided the most stunning organic visuals, with vast woodlands and lakes making up the surroundings. They clearly invested in the VFX too, granted it wouldn’t compete with the likes of Dune for realism but it still looked good. The action sequences were filmed very well, the camera movement was smooth and the angles helped create some really exciting scenes. 

OVERALL (7.5/10)

The Adam Project was a nice addition to the sci-fi adventure genre, a film filled with heart and charm that stemmed from the two central characters played by Reynolds and Scobell. Their chemistry was the best part of the film and Scobell really stole the show in his first acting role! The storyline was okay, there were some elements that were poorly written and the antagonist was extremely forgettable but overall it is enjoyable and it felt unique. I loved the organic visuals provided by the Vancouver wilderness, the perfect setting in my opinion. I would recommend giving it a go, it’s a nice family film that everyone can enjoy.

Thanks for reading.

Callan