Crater (2023)

Crater is special because it treats a moon-bound kids’ adventure with real heart, letting wonder and grief share the same oxygen without ever becoming heavy-handed. Kyle Patrick Alvarez builds a lived-in lunar world—dusty corridors, humming machinery, wide-open silence—that makes the trek feel tactile and thrilling, while the story stays grounded in friendship, first big choices, and the ache of saying goodbye. Isaiah Russell-Bailey carries the film’s emotional center with quiet sincerity, and Mckenna Grace brings a spark of intelligence and edge that keeps the group dynamic lively and believable. It’s a warm, family-friendly sci-fi ride with enough peril to feel exciting; if you’re looking for hard science or relentless action, it may be too gentle, but if you want a coming-of-age story with a cosmic horizon, it’s an easy yes.

Crater is clearly aiming for a kid-friendly, coming-of-age space adventure where grief and friendship matter as much as the lunar road trip. The problem is the story often feels pre-packaged: obstacles show up right on cue, solutions come a bit too easily, and the “legendary” journey doesn’t always deliver the sense of danger or wonder the premise promises. If you’re hoping for hard sci-fi, sharp tension, or a truly unpredictable adventure, this may feel hokey and overly convenient. But if you want a clean PG watch with likable teens, gentle emotional beats, and a breezy “Stand by Me in space” vibe, it can still do the job.