Rim of the World (2019)

(CASTELLANO) La idea tiene su gracia: críos atrapados en un campamento cuando todo se va al garete y, de repente, toca espabilar. El problema es que la película se queda en la idea y ya. Quiere ser aventura ochentera, quiere ser “coming of age”, quiere ser sci-fi ligera… pero al final no cuaja del todo en ninguna.

El guion es bastante cutre, de esos que van tirando de situaciones porque sí, con diálogos que suenan a plantilla y decisiones que no te crees ni aunque pongas mucha voluntad. Y cuando una historia depende tanto de que te metas en el juego, eso pasa factura rápido.

Los niños tampoco ayudan demasiado. No es que estén horribles, pero les falta carisma y naturalidad, y en una peli así necesitas que el grupo te caiga bien casi por inercia. Aquí, a ratos, parecen puestos para ir marcando casillas en vez de vivir la aventura.

Técnicamente tampoco levanta el vuelo: montaje nervioso, ruido, y una sensación constante de estar viendo algo que quiere parecer más grande de lo que es. Hay momentos entretenidos, sí, y si la pillas con pocas exigencias puede pasar el rato… pero te deja bastante frío.

Lo que más fastidia es que con un poquito más de cuidado podría haber sido una peli simpática de verdad. En cambio, se queda en “producto” sin chispa, sin emoción y sin ese punto de imaginación que haga que te acuerdes de ella mañana.

(ENGLISH) The idea is fun on paper: kids stuck at a summer camp when everything goes to hell and, suddenly, they have to step up. The problem is the movie stays at the idea and stops there. It wants to be an ’80s adventure, it wants to be a coming-of-age story, it wants to be light sci-fi… but in the end it doesn’t really click as any of them.

The script is pretty cheap, the kind that keeps moving by throwing in situations just because, with dialogue that feels like a template and choices you don’t buy even if you try. And when a story depends so much on you playing along, that hurts fast.

The kids don’t help much either. They’re not terrible, but they lack charisma and naturalness, and in a movie like this you need the group to be likable almost automatically. Here, sometimes, they feel like they’re ticking boxes instead of living the adventure.

On the technical side it doesn’t take off: jittery editing, lots of noise, and a constant feeling that it wants to look bigger than it actually is. There are entertaining moments, sure, and if you watch it with low expectations it can pass the time… but it leaves you pretty cold.

What’s most frustrating is that with a bit more care it could have been a genuinely fun little movie. Instead, it ends up as a “product” with no spark, no emotion, and none of that imagination that would make you remember it tomorrow.

This is fine, if somewhat hectic.
I guess it caters to a younger audience, which needs less buildup and which equates "loud noise" with "tension" and "excitement" but there is nothing wrong with this movie. The assembled cast is good, the acting and directing what it needs to be, and while some of the effects look really cheap, most of it is working well.
The dialogue is nice, some of the characters are silly, but they are fun enough for you to forgive them.
This is reminiscent of Battle: Los Angeles (2011), but from a very different perspective.