I’m happy to put aside time travel mechanics that’d fall apart after a few seconds thought in favor of character and story, but that requires both worthwhile characters and an involving plot–two things 2067 needed work on. This takes too long to get going then drags when it comes time to end, leaving only the middle hour with a chance to be interesting or entertaining but even then there’s a heavy young adult novel feel to everything. From the post-apocalyptic dystopian society to the cast, everything comes off a little weightless and everyone’s too put together for the end of the world being nigh. 

It’s the year 2067. All plant life on Earth has perished, resulting in extremely limited oxygen available for the last remnants of humanity who wait out the inevitable end of existence in the world’s sole remaining city. One of those inhabitants, Ethan Whyte (Kodi Smit-McPhee), spends his days working as a laborer hoping to earn enough to afford better treatments for his sick wife, Xanthe (Sana’a Shaik). Ethan and his longtime friend/protector Jude (Ryan Kwanten) find themselves called into bigwig Regina Jackson’s (Deborah Mailman) office one day where she shocks Ethan with some surprising news–scientists have built a time machine and Ethan needs to use it to find a solution in their struggle against oblivion. He’s hesitant for a whole variety of reasons, one of which being a tragic backstory involving his mother (Leeanna Walsman) and father (Aaron Glenane), but Ethan will have to soldier on into that unknown future as humanity’s last hope for survival…

Kodi Smit-McPhee does well enough as Ethan to carry 2067 for a while, especially once he *finally* uses the damn time machine and winds up hundreds of years in the future. The solitary Ethan wandering around an unknown future is easily a highlight as he experiences a world full of beauty and danger completely foreign to him. Unfortunately, that section is rather short-lived and before you know it various time travel cliches start piling up. I mean, the pre-time travel newsposition and dialogue of “you’re the one,” “not where–when,” “have faith,” & “you’re humanity’s last hope” (among others) already got the cliche ball rolling along so it should be no surprise when more examples of been there, done that pop up. 

I generally avoid discussing any details past the first ~20 minutes so a film can still be as effective as possible, but when a time travel movie takes 30 minutes to get to the time travel part my hands are tied a little bit. It’d be one thing if 2067 made the most of Ethan in the future when it finally happened, but as I said those handful of minutes where a lone Ethan takes it all in gives way to fairly standard time travel developments in short order. By no means is any of it awful, by the way, just a bit too young adult for my tastes. One of the scientists and his fun, silly, brand-new t-shirts come to mind since if humans are almost extinct as there’s simply not enough air to sustain life what’s with the pristine clothing and just-so haircuts? I guess stylists and fashion outlets prove essential to the end. Also, the resolution made me laugh which I don’t suspect was the intention–maybe I’m a tough audience?

So, would I recommend 2067? If you’re a fan of young adult kind of stuff or don’t mind a movie hitting standard time travel beats with a solid lead and adequate supporting cast there are worse ways to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon. 

6 out of 10 Young Adult Time Travelers