ReelBob: ‘The Adam Project’ ★★½

By Bob Bloom

“The Adam Project” is a story about father-son issues wrapped in the cloak of a time-travel, science-fiction action feature.

The movie stars Ryan Reynolds — who also is one of the producers — as hotshot pilot Adam who teams up with his 12-year-old younger self (Walter Scobell) and his late scientist father in an effort to save the future.

The fact that Reynolds brings his patented man-child persona to the proceedings makes it a fun watch, as does his interactions with Scobell.

“Adam Project,” which premieres March 11 on Netflix, is a pleasant experience that holds your attention. It does not take itself too seriously.

The plot has adult Adam flying into the past — 2018 to be exact — to search for his wife, who had disappeared on an earlier time-travel mission. Catherine Keener is the high-tech mogul who having monopolized time travel, tries to shoot him down before Adam enters a wormhole that will transport him to the past.

Adam is wounded and his ship is damaged so, instead of 2018, he winds up in 2022 at his childhood home where he meets young Adam.

The 12-year-old is a self-professed nerd, who has a smart mouth, is bullied and, when stressed, must use an inhaler to regain his breath and composure.

The kid is pretty smart, quickly figuring out Adam’s identity. The older Adam is very reticent to talk about the future to youngster. Behind the adult’s wisecracking veneer, is a vulnerable man still suffering from the loss of his workaholic father who, Adam believes, was more interested in his scientific research than in his son.

All these issues transpire in simple exposition, as “The Adam Project,” despite its PG-13 rating, is something teens can watch without being traumatized.

Young Scobell nearly steals the movie, going step-to-step trading zingers with Reynolds.

The cast also includes Mark Ruffalo as Adam’s father and Jennifer Garner, in a slightly underwritten role, as Adam’s loving and well-meaning mother, and Zoe Saldana as Adam’s love interest.

The film features some standard special effects, but nothing too bloody or disturbing. Director Shawn Levy mixes action, humor and the human drama to keep the proceedings moving.

“The Adam Project” keeps the human element front and center as a father and his son — no matter his age — learn to love and appreciate it other, as well as to remember that love never dies nor is it dimmed by time.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap substack and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.

THE ADAM PROJECT
2½ stars out of 4
(PG-13), violence, language, action, suggestive material