I have to admit that I was actually harboring some expectations to this 2023 Disney family sci-fi adventure titled "Crater" from writer John Griffin and director Kyle Patrick Alvarez. Sure, I had never heard about the movie prior to sitting down to watch it, but with it being a Disney movie, then I figured chances were good of it being an enjoyable movie.
Talk about a swing and a miss. I managed to endure close to an hour of the 105 minute runtime that "Crater" ran for, and then I gave up out of sheer and utter boredom. The storyline in "Crater", as written by John Griffin, had the appeal of wet cardboard. It was so difficult to get submerged into the storyline and finding anything to enjoy. And it didn't help one bit that the characters in the movie were every bit as bland and irrelevant as the storyline itself. In fact, my 13 year old son, whom I sat down to watch "Crater" with, he gave up on the movie not even 20 minutes into the ordeal.
I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in the movie, but it was a shame that the actors and actresses were literally given nothing worthwhile to work with and to bring to the screen. I am sure that there were some good talents among the cast ensemble, they just didn't get to shine on the screen at the hands of director Kyle Patrick Alvarez.
Visually then "Crater" was good. It being a Disney movie does have its perks, and a proper budget for proper effects is one of those things. And it shows, because the CGI effects and special effects in "Crater" were good, realistic and added something good to the movie. Ultimately, the special effects could only do so much to alleviate for the movie's shortcomings in every other department.
"Crater" came and went without leaving as much as a ripple. And believe you me, when I say that I have zero interest in returning to the movie and attempt finish watching it. I just simply cared nothing about the flaccid and nearly non-existing storyline, nor of the one-dimensional character gallery.
This was a big disappointment of a movie, I have to say that much.
My rating of "Crater" lands on a very generous three out of ten stars.