By Brent Snyder (3/14/2022)
Let me start by saying, yes, "The Adam Project" really is as good as everyone is saying it is.
In fact, you've probably already seen it - at least twice - by the time you're reading this. I had to go back and re-watch it myself - before I could stop grinning, pick my jaw up from the floor and collect my thoughts. And my head is still spinning.
And yeah, there be spoilers here, so turn back now if you haven't seen it yet. And IF you haven't watched it yet, for the love of dog go to Netflix right now and click play. You'll thank me later - or at least you'll thank the filmmakers.
"The Adam Project" reunites star Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy ("Free Guy") in a sweet, star studded, funny and action-paced time travel tale in which a man from a dystopian future goes back to the past of his childhood. There, he visits not only his parents (Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner in a "13 Going on 30" reunion) - and the family dog - but also his younger self, masterfully portrayed by Walker Scobell. Yes, that was a long sentence. And it was totally worth it because you know damn well I was going to geek out over "13 Going on 30." And that dog is a very good boy.
This fantastic family friendly science fiction adventure asks the age old question: What if Steven Spielberg had made "The Terminator?" That's not a slight. It's a compliment. "The Adam Project" captures all the magic of Amblin Entertainment in it's heyday and turns it up to 11.
But instead of a killer robot from the future, here we have a killer queen from the future - well a murdery CEO anyway. "The Adam Project" has a big bad - and boy is she bad - in the antagonist Maya Sorian, perfectly played by Catherine Keener. If you saw her in "Get Out" or "Sicario: Day of the Sodaldo," you know the depths of villainy she can plumb.
Every sci-fi action movie baddie needs a scar-faced, martial arts expert henchman, and "The Adam Project" delivers with Christos, played by Alex Mallari Jr. You may know him best from the cult TV series "Dark Matter" and "The Strain." He's just as good here. Here's hoping we see more of him in future big budget spectacles.
Unfortunately - and you know how much I hate this - "The Adam Project" can't seem to help itself but perpetuate the dreaded (and unnecessary) trope of fridging the female love interest. Zoe Saldana graces the project with her signature cool ass-kicking moves as Laura the lost time-traveling pilot, but do we really have to see Reynolds' face as he learns of her fate? No, we really, really don't. The film would have been just fine without the trope - unless you're one of those who believe that the hero needs one more bit of pain right before the climatic boss fight.
Nit-picking about tropes aside, "The Adam Project" dives headfirst into fan service with Reynolds' trademark witty banter (this Scobell kid nails it as a younger version of the star) and fun yet recognizable set pieces. Speeder chase from "Return of the Jedi?" Check. High speed game of chicken? Check. Magnet fight from Reynolds' "6 Underground?" Check. (Wait, what?)
And it's not just all action and one-liners either. The film is full of heartfelt grab-the-tissues expressions of love from beginning to end. It truly is the most good-feeling feel-good movie of 2022 so far.
Oh and the music? Have I mentioned the needle drops? While the film isn't chock full of nostalgic tracks like the "Peacemaker" or "Guardians of the Galaxy" series, there are a few instances of perfectly matching a song to a sequence - and they're three of my most favorite songs - Boston's "Foreplay/Long Time," Led Zeppelin's "Good Times Bad Times" and Pete Townshend's "Let My Love Open the Door."
Before I leave to go watch it again, one more parting thought on "The Adam Project" - this was originally titled "Our Name Is Adam" and was going to be a Tom Cruise project. Yeah. I know, right? Can you imagine? Endless scenes of running, running and more running? They would've even made the dog run everywhere. And that's just cruel. And exhausting.
Four Stars!
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