Outside of Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds has become the go-to guy to lead in non-IP action films of late. His most recent entry is The Adam Project from director Shawn Levy and screenwriters Jonathan Tropper, T.S. Nowlin, Jennifer Flackett, and Mark Levin. It’s no secret that non-IP feature projects have a harder time getting made in the current theatrical climate (just look at the number of credited writers on the film). It took ten years for Deadpool, the role Ryan Reynolds is now best known for, to happen (and that was despite it being IP), so perhaps he feels an infinity for these projects that might otherwise never see the light of day without known talent attached. And having recognizable talent attached, like the casts of The Adam Project, Free Guy, and Red Notice, (all non-IP projects Ryan Reynolds has headlined over the last two years) go a long way to making them a reality.
The Adam Project is a quirky sci-fi that imagines a world where the basis for time travel has been invented in our present. One man, Adam (Big Adam played by Reynolds), decides to break the established rules of time travel to attempt to save his wife (Laura played by Zoe Saldana), but like with most (all?) time travel adventure movies, things don’t go as planned, and he finds himself face-to-face with his younger self (Young Adam played by Walker Scobell). They do an admirable job of attempting to ground the rules of their time travel, but as with any work that involves time travel, you get the most enjoyment if you go along for the ride and don’t look for holes.
Walker Scobell, who makes his debut as Young Adam, is a delight. He deftly keeps up with Ryan Reynolds, matching his banter, and should he decide to continue acting, I will be interested to see what other roles he delivers in the future.
The Adam Project made what appears to be a deliberate choice to diffuse moments of seriousness/tenderness with humour. Be it via a wound fart or with carrots, the film seemed determined not to linger in around more emotional beats. It was perhaps fitting for a film where the main character’s journey is extensively about learning that he taught himself to be angry because it was easier than being sad.
I was, nay, am, a huge Dark Matter fan. So it was awesome to see Alex Mallari Jr. swinging a sword-like weapon in a sci-fi work again. He plays one of the antagonists who, with the exception of Catherine Keener, are painted rather broad with no discernible motivation for going after Adam other than that they are like human versions of terminators (making the reference to that movie with the film very apt).
A cursory glance at the cast list for this movie will reveal that Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner play husband and wife. Rom-com junkies, like myself, hold a soft spot for their pairing in 13 Going on 30. It’s always nice to see an on-screen reunion. However, they share very little screen time, the focus of this film is almost entirely centred on the two Adams, so proceed accordingly and temper your expectations.
The Adam Project is available on Netflix.