Though this film is set on the moon 234 years in the future, it plays like a kids' adventure in pretty much any setting today -- or even in the past. In that sense, Crater is targeting a young, probably tween audience. It's notable that so few adults are present at all (and none can be relied upon). But the set-up also feels a little flawed -- one would assume that kids who've grown up in a monochromatic dome on the moon would be somehow more different from kids today. The characters, emotional beats, and plot turns all feel a bit too obvious, emphasized by the hand-holding musical score, perhaps underestimating the sophistication of young viewers today. That's all despite an interesting lunar set design and five young actors doing their best with these roles, which require a range of emotional reactions from each.

The film earnestly attempts to make its audience feel nostalgic for what we already have, namely precious Earth (and the game of baseball). It also gives its young protagonists plenty to blame their parents for, from bad divorces to outright abandonment. Generations of adults before failed to save planet Earth or follow through on original plans to colonize the moon, opting instead for a corrupt system that exploits workers in outer space. Their youthful resentment feeds into a scene where they tear apart a model home in a fit of exuberant rage. Set to rock music and shot in slow motion, it's a classic scene of teenage rebellion. Problem is, the kids don't learn anything from this destruction nor from putting their lives at risk repeatedly on their lunar journey. It's all meant to add up to a life-changing adventure, but it feels almost as thin as the air in outer space.