Ryan Reynolds new movie The Adam Project was met with mixed reactions upon its release on Netflix, with some viewers unable to get past a particular aspect of the film.
It’s not as surprising as it might first seem, however, since Reynolds actually plays the role of a time-traveling pilot who travels to the year 2022, where he encounters a younger version of himself, played by Walker Scobell, and the younger version of his father – hence the small age difference.
The film has received a 79% positive viewer rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but that hasn’t stopped many viewers from complaining on Twitter about the film’s de-aging effects, which aim to give people on screen a few more years gain weight .
Viewers refined the way the effects played out on Catherine Keener, who played Maya Sorian in the film, with one person writing in part, “Terrible Katherine [sic] Ironically, despite Keener’s de-aging CGI, she “looks much younger in the real world at her age”.
I really enjoyed The Adam Project despite the rather tepid reviews. Not an award winning cinema but it was a decent way to while away a few hours.
(Don’t resist the awful Katherine Keener de-aging CGI – she ironically looks a lot younger at her age in the real world)
— Colin P (He/Him) (@FKAColinTDF) March 13, 2022
Another viewer wrote: “I can’t get over how badly they screwed up the demotion of Catherine Keener’s character The Adam Projectshe looks like a sim.”
One frustrated fan said the editing was so bad it actually diverted their attention from the film itself, writing: “Jesus Christ, the digital de-aging in The Adam Project was terrible lmao. Looked like a bad phone filter or crappy deepfake, although the VFX were pretty good in the rest of the movie. Was so distracting.”
Netflix should have hired Shamrock, who performed the Luke Skywalker sorcery, to do the de-aging in The Adam Project. That looks… rough. pic.twitter.com/931F4lLYA9
– mandy // The Battinson ❓0❓❓ (@BattinsonMarvel) March 13, 2022
Jesus Christ, the digital de-aging in THE ADAM PROJECT was awful lmao. Looked like a bad phone filter or crappy deepfake, although the VFX were pretty good in the rest of the movie. Was so distracting.
– Shaun Munro (@DuskTilShaun) March 13, 2022
Luckily, while there seems to be a great deal of consensus about the quality of the de-aging effects, the issue turned out to be funnier than anything else and wasn’t enough to stop people from enjoying the film.
Complaints about aging aside, the flick has garnered praise from viewers, with one branding it a “masterpiece.”
“I don’t say that about many films, but The Adam Project on Netflix is a masterpiece,” they wrote, adding, “Chef’s Kiss.”
The Adam Project is incredible, hilarious and just so full of heart, it’s without a doubt one of Netflix’s best originals and such a fantastic debut for Walker Scobell
– Luke (@qLxke_) March 12, 2022
Another commented: “The Adam Project is amazing, hilarious and just so full of heart, it is without a doubt one of Netflix’s best originals and such an amazing debut for Walker Scobell.
The film is currently trending at number 1 on Netflix in the UK, so it has aged badly or not, it definitely looks set to be a hit.
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