{"id":24215,"date":"2017-02-13T08:33:39","date_gmt":"2017-02-13T13:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/?p=24215"},"modified":"2017-02-13T08:35:45","modified_gmt":"2017-02-13T13:35:45","slug":"the-adventure-club-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cinema-crazed.com\/blog\/2017\/02\/13\/the-adventure-club-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"The Adventure Club (2017)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>I would love<\/span> nothing<\/span> more to tell<\/span> you that \u201cThe Adventure Club\u201d is<\/span> a real<\/span> gem<\/span> that deserves<\/span> discovering<\/span>. But sadly<\/span> this is<\/span> a kids<\/span>‘ movie<\/span> that even<\/span> kids<\/span> might eventually<\/span> fall<\/span> asleep<\/span> during. It’s not<\/span> that the movie<\/span> is<\/span> fundamentally<\/span> bad<\/span> it’s just<\/span> so<\/span> bland and listless, no matter<\/span> how many talented character<\/span> actors<\/span> that director<\/span> Geoff Anderson stuffs<\/span> on screen<\/span>. And it’s sad<\/span> because the movie<\/span> tries<\/span> its best<\/span> to utilize<\/span> greats like Kim Coates, and Billy Zane to account<\/span> for the fact that the rest<\/span> of the cast are<\/span>n’t too<\/span> good<\/span> in their roles<\/span>. I’m all for a film<\/span> of this ilk<\/span>, which encourages curiosity, learning<\/span>, imagination<\/span>, and wonder<\/span>. I love<\/span> movies<\/span> that carry the aesthetic<\/span> of a classic<\/span> serial<\/span>, but \u201cThe Adventure Club\u201d feels<\/span> like one of the many clones<\/span> of \u201cThe Goonies\u201d we saw<\/span> throughout the nineties<\/span> that would often<\/span> pop<\/span> up on cable inexplicably.<\/p>\n

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The writers<\/span> just<\/span> create<\/span> a broadly<\/span> sketched<\/span> maguffin, create<\/span> a trio<\/span> of wide<\/span> eyed<\/span> prepubescent heroes and see<\/span> where the movie<\/span> takes<\/span> us. The bad<\/span> news<\/span> is<\/span> that the movie<\/span> does<\/span>n’t take<\/span> us much<\/span> of anywhere<\/span>, which is<\/span> anti-climactic considering this is<\/span> a movie<\/span> called<\/span> \u201cThe Adventure Club.\u201d Ricky Young is<\/span> a lover<\/span> of exploration and learning<\/span> who is<\/span> still<\/span> reeling<\/span> from the death<\/span> of his grandfather<\/span>. After forming<\/span> the adventure<\/span> club<\/span>, he’s looking<\/span> for an actual<\/span> adventure<\/span> to go<\/span> on, and discovers a key<\/span> in his grandfather<\/span>‘s office<\/span>. From there, he finds<\/span> a puzzle<\/span> box<\/span> that holds<\/span> mystical<\/span> properties<\/span> including<\/span> wish<\/span> granting<\/span>. Meanwhile<\/span> Ricky’s step<\/span> dad<\/span> Martin is<\/span> being<\/span> blackmailed<\/span> by ex-con Langley, a devious<\/span> man<\/span> who wants<\/span> the puzzle<\/span> box<\/span> for sinister purposes<\/span>.<\/p>\n

As Ricky and his pair<\/span> of fellow adventurers<\/span> run<\/span> around their town<\/span> looking<\/span> for clues<\/span>, and trying<\/span> to uncover<\/span> the box<\/span>‘s magical<\/span> guidelines<\/span>, including<\/span> taking<\/span> wishes<\/span> and souring<\/span> them, Langley is<\/span> on their tail<\/span> anxious<\/span> to claim<\/span> it. \u201cThe Adventure Club\u201d feels<\/span> a lot<\/span> like it wanted<\/span> to be<\/span> a successor<\/span> to \u201cThe Goonies.\u201d It props<\/span> up a lot<\/span> of the same<\/span> plot<\/span> points<\/span> including<\/span> a town<\/span> with a poor<\/span> economy<\/span>, a pair<\/span> of struggling<\/span> parents, and two fellow wide eyed<\/span> explorers<\/span>, one of whom is<\/span> a tech nerd<\/span>. One really<\/span> good<\/span> element<\/span> I can pick<\/span> out from the film<\/span> is<\/span> that these kids<\/span> are<\/span> addicted<\/span> to learning<\/span>, and spend<\/span> a lot<\/span> of the film<\/span> riding<\/span> bikes<\/span>, running<\/span> around, and opening<\/span> their minds<\/span>.<\/p>\n

The writers<\/span> inject<\/span> a purposely<\/span> anachronistic<\/span> aesthetic<\/span>, so<\/span> most<\/span> of the characters<\/span> are<\/span> rarely<\/span> seen<\/span> on cell<\/span> phones<\/span> or even<\/span> the internet<\/span>, for that matter<\/span>. I appreciate<\/span> the intent<\/span> behind \u201cThe Adventure Club,\u201d but the movie<\/span>‘s lackluster energy<\/span> and half baked<\/span> narrative make<\/span> it a chore<\/span> to sit<\/span> through. I suspect<\/span> even<\/span> prepubescent<\/span> movie<\/span> goers<\/span> with a love<\/span> of adventures<\/span> and exploring<\/span> might find<\/span> this pretty exhausting<\/span> to finish<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Now on VOD and in Select Theaters in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Kansas City, Orange County, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Tampa.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n