The Adam Project pairs director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds again after last year’s hit Free Guy, but time traveling is on the agenda this time around. Set for a release on Netflix on March 11, The Adam Project sees time traveler Adam Reed (Reynolds) teaming with a 12-year-old version of himself (Walker Scobell) to save the future. Critics have had a chance to see the movie ahead of its release, so let’s check out what they have to say.
Along with Ryan Reynolds and Walker Scobell, The Adam Project stars Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo (13 Going on 30 reunion, anyone?). The trailer makes it look like viewers will be taken on a sci-fi thrill ride, with plenty of emotional stakes, to be sure, as along with a younger version of himself, Adam Reed will also reunite in the “past” with his late father. Let’s check out what the reviews have to say about Netflix’s The Adam Project, starting with CinemaBlend's review.
Our own Mike Reyes rated it 3.5 stars out of 5, saying that Ryan Reynolds’ second movie with director Shawn Levy proves this duo can craft a good time. The review calls the Netflix film “one of the most fun movie experiences we've seen so far this year”:
With the two Adams bonding over the grief of losing their father (Mark Ruffalo) and their difficulty connecting with their mother (Jennifer Garner), The Adam Project has a strong emotional core that grounds its characters – which means that when the crazy sci-fi action begins, the audience can still be invested while being wowed with close quarters combat and high flying adventure set to sick needle drops. Rest assured, this movie has all that and more, and it makes it work beautifully.
Leah Greenblatt of EW graded the movie a B-, saying that the movie depends a lot on Ryan Reynolds’ banter, and while not all the pieces come together perfectly, the movie’s stars make it work:
For all its earnest sentiment and questionable science, though, Adam barrels along on movie stars and charm, from futures past and back again.
David Roony of THR, however, says Ryan Reynolds’ Adam is too smug and self-aware to drive home the emotional notes of the film, which this review says is a “weary wormhole full of goopy sentiment”:
Reuniting with the [Free Guy director Shawn Levy] on The Adam Project, another high-concept, highly derivative clutch of ideas from mostly better movies, Reynolds again tries to escape his programming by juggling his usual glib shtick with off-brand sincerity. That’s as hard to buy as the film’s awkward mashup of time-travel mayhem with sudsy melodrama about a fractured family’s path to healing.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety says the time travel aspect of The Adam Project will turn viewers’ brains to mush, as the more you think about it , the less sense it makes. This won’t be Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy’s best collaboration, this review predicts, but it’s proof that they bring out the best in each other:
The Adam Project is the definition of trivial, and on the small screen it overstays its welcome by about 15 minutes, but it’s a brashly likable piece of antic high-powered fluff. Here’s my own leap into the future: As a team, Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy are going to make much better movies than this one, but you can feel the tastiness of their combo even in a kinetic marshmallow like ‘The Adam Project.’ They’re not trying to fake fun.
Ryan Leston of IGN, however, has no issues with this project, giving it an “Amazing” 9 out of 10 ranking. saying that Ryan Reynolds is at his best, and his chemistry with Walker Scobell is perfect:
The Adam Project is a thoughtful, witty mash-up of all the movies from my childhood. It’s Back to the Future meets The Last Starfighter with a slew of wonderful performances from a cast that clearly loves the concept as much as I do. Ryan Reynolds is on top form as Adam, while Walker Scobell matches him punch for punch with a great debut performance. The Adam Project is a love letter to the family sci-fi flicks of the ‘70s and ‘80s, packed full of Amblin-like charm.
If this emotional time-traveling flick is one that piques your interest, you don’t have to wait much longer. The Adam Project premieres Friday, March 11, and you can catch this one from the comfort of your own home, as it will be streaming on Netflix. You can also check out some of the other best movies on Netflix right now, and start planning your next movie night with our 2022 Movie Release Schedule.
