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Parents' Guide to

2:22

By Tom Cassidy, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Mystery thriller has threat, sex, guns, graphic car crash.

Movie PG-13 2017 98 minutes
2:22 movie poster

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

In 2:22, Dylan Branson (Michiel Huisman), a man with a knack for spotting patterns, notices a potentially deadly fate brewing at New York's Grand Central Terminal rail station. With his new girlfriend, Sarah (Teresa Palmer), he tries to uncover the time-hop mystery before it's too late.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The ultra-glossy look of this movie makes every scene feel like a perfume commercial (or when Dylan's checking his glimmering Bering timepiece, a watch advertisement). There's nothing wrong with a good-looking film, but 2:22's model looks are paired with a shallow storyline with as much depth to match a perfume ad. The science fiction and fantasy element is the movie's weakest link, but to its credit, it still wraps up nicely. As a young teen's first step into fantasy time-loop mystery movies, it should pass the time pleasantly. But anyone expecting it to measure up to Groundhog Day, Source Code, or Edge of Tomorrow will find it lacking. It doesn't have the wit, depth, or intelligence to reach those high benchmarks.

An Australian movie filmed in New York, the largely Australian cast provide a mixed bag of performances. Some accents are shaky but that's made up for with a couple of standouts. Palmer gives her all to play Sarah, a character who unfortunately amounts to little more than a concerned onlooker. Along the way it's clear 2:22 was planned as a slow-burning mystery. But Huisman's voiceover is more detached and disinterested than enigmatic and compelling. Ultimately, the sub-par writing, pacing, and pixel-perfect sheen add up to very little.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the violence in 2:22. Did the violent scenes help tell the story in an effective way? Was it shocking or thrilling? Why? Does exposure to violent media desensitize kids to violence?

  • How did the movie portray sex? Was it affectionate? Respectful? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

  • Did the movie remind you of any others you've seen? Which ones and in what ways?

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