Crater a sweet tale of friendship

It can be hard to say goodbye, especially when you’re young. The bonds of friendship you make can feel like some of the most important in your life. Crater, a new film set in the future on the surface of the moon, is essentially about that feeling and about the difficulty of saying goodbye.

Caleb (Isaiah Russell-Bailey) has just lost his father, a miner on the moon. He’d already lost his mother and part of the benefit left by his father, who died in an accident on the job, is a trip to another distant colony. It’s a great opportunity, but it means Caleb will not only leave his friends behind—he’ll never see them again. The journey takes 75 years, during which time he’ll be in a deep sleep.

Before he goes, Caleb wants to honor his father’s request and make a trek to a crater on the moon. The problem is their facility is on lock down with an impending meteor shower. Nevertheless, Caleb sneaks off with his friends Borney (Orson Hong), Marcus (Thomas Boyce) and his best friend, Dylan (Billy Barratt). To help them get what they need, they employ the daughter of a new boss, Addison (McKenna Grace), who is originally from Earth.

They strike out on a journey that will change all their lives. But will Caleb be able to move on knowing those he left behind.

This is a different kind of coming-of-age film. It brings these kids together with an uncertain future. And it had a long process to get from the page to the screen. The finished product is something sweet and engaging, at times.

While the film is set in the future during a time when we’ve colonized the Moon, and other far-off locations, the themes are universal. This is about friendship and the bonds that come from the family we choose. But the adventure together is only part of the journey.

I was moved by the ending, which was emotional and satisfying in a way I hadn’t expected based on what came before. This is a piece of family-friendly entertainment offers an interesting journey, some solid visuals and a solid story.

Crater is streaming on Disney+ beginning Friday, May 12.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.