Just finished Timescape, a 2022 Canadian family film. I really don’t like dinosaurs (the title was actually translated as Back to the Dinosaurs and the description advertised it as something “for fans of Jurassic Park”) and only began watching when the subscription that includes the streaming platform promised bonuses for me watching a sci-fi 
Actually, it doesn’t have that many dinosaurs — though the two main characters do indeed travel back in time by accident, they barely meet the dinosaurs, and the film is more about their relationship with each other and their families than an action-adventure sci-fi as advertised. For me, who doesn’t like dinosaurs, it was nice, but I understand that some viewers would be disappointed.
What I liked: the actual focus of the film — as I’ve said, the friendship between the main characters, teenage Lara and preteen Jason, and their interactions with their families — was done pretty well. The cinematography was mostly beautiful (except for too-obviously-CGI giant dragonflies), and I was really impressed with the casting choices for Lara and her mother — the two actresses looked incredibly alike.
What I didn’t like: first, the stakes were way too low. Sure, a couple of times the dinosaurs dramatically chased the protagonists, but I never had the feeling of them being in real danger. It would have IMHO been better to cut the dinosaurs altogether and let the characters wander around in a friendlier time, making it a time-travel friendship film without a claim to action. Second, I didn’t like the ending: It’s set up to be a bittersweet one:
Were the creators hesitant to make it a full-on bittersweet ending in a family film? I don’t know. For me, the “and the adventure continues” moment felt really too rushed to be satisfying —
To put it short — it’s a nice, pretty-looking and uplifting film, mostly well-acted, but don’t expect high stakes in the plot, and if you watch it, my advice would be for you to turn it off once the credits start rolling.
Actually, it doesn’t have that many dinosaurs — though the two main characters do indeed travel back in time by accident, they barely meet the dinosaurs, and the film is more about their relationship with each other and their families than an action-adventure sci-fi as advertised. For me, who doesn’t like dinosaurs, it was nice, but I understand that some viewers would be disappointed.
What I liked: the actual focus of the film — as I’ve said, the friendship between the main characters, teenage Lara and preteen Jason, and their interactions with their families — was done pretty well. The cinematography was mostly beautiful (except for too-obviously-CGI giant dragonflies), and I was really impressed with the casting choices for Lara and her mother — the two actresses looked incredibly alike.
What I didn’t like: first, the stakes were way too low. Sure, a couple of times the dinosaurs dramatically chased the protagonists, but I never had the feeling of them being in real danger. It would have IMHO been better to cut the dinosaurs altogether and let the characters wander around in a friendlier time, making it a time-travel friendship film without a claim to action. Second, I didn’t like the ending: It’s set up to be a bittersweet one:
Jason helps Lara and her mother reconcile, but Lara, who comes from the far future, saves Jason’s deceased parents — but Jason’s memories of their adventures are wiped because it’s not allowed to know the future, and he and Lara can never meet again. Then, post-credits — surprise! (Well, not so much, because I could see there was too much time left for it just to be a credit sequence). Lara’s robotic helper Mia appears to restore Jason’s memory, because Lara needs his help!
Were the creators hesitant to make it a full-on bittersweet ending in a family film? I don’t know. For me, the “and the adventure continues” moment felt really too rushed to be satisfying —
It’s forbidden to mess with time. Why should an exception be made for a preteen boy, who is admittedly quite smart but still not a mega-genius for whom one can bend the rules? At least, had it been a romance, it would have been understandable — kind of like how it’s easier to move into a foreign country if you’re married to a resident. But it’s not a romance, and although the friendship between Lara and Jason, again, was depicted very nicely, I still couldn’t see him being her best, dearest friend.
To put it short — it’s a nice, pretty-looking and uplifting film, mostly well-acted, but don’t expect high stakes in the plot, and if you watch it, my advice would be for you to turn it off once the credits start rolling.