The Adam Project

What's it about?

Time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed accidentally crash-lands in 2022, and teams up with his 12-year-old self to save the future. The film stars Ryan Reynolds, known for his quirky and edgy comedy.

Positive messages include the importance of whānau, sharing emotions, and that it is cool to be nerdy.

The facts

• Directed by Shawn Levy
• Sci-Fi, comedy and action/adventure
• 106 mins
• English language

Why did it get this rating?

The film was self-rated by Netflix. You can find out more about self-rating by streaming providers here.

Violence

In the scenes where younger Adam is being bullied younger viewers could feel upset and scared, especially those who might have experiences related to bullying. The film includes gun violence however when people are shot they disappear back to their time period. The only injury noted is when a character is shot off screen and talks about his bloody stomach wound, which is covered by his jacket.

Offensive Language

Along with feeling uncomfortable and upset, the risk is that younger viewers could think this is a normal way to talk to people or encourage them to use it against others. There is infrequent use of offensive language in The Adam Project, which contain words like "sh*t," "mother f****r," and "a**hole." The comedy in the film brings down the impact of the offensive language, however Ryan Reynolds’ edgy style means the words can be quite cutting.

Further information

• Talking with young people about what they’re watching
• Walker Scobell, who plays 12 year old Adam, interviews Ryan Reynolds and the cast of The Adam Project