Good Concept, Bad Execution

Rating: 7/10 (18 April 2013)

I quite enjoyed the first half of the movie. The beginning was very promising. I very much enjoyed the "time capsule" concept.
The first half of the movie was intriguing, but then... was the second half written/directed by entirely different people??
I didn't think the acting was very good, either. Absolutely everyone in the movie was sub-par, especially the teacher in the beginning. Well, they were not *horrible*; just not very good.
Nicolas Cage's character was quite one-dimensional and unlikeable. The way he neglects his son throughout the movie and treats him like s***. How do you expect people to root for such an uncharismatic, wooden, unremarkable character?
The ending was just 'lazy' and thoroughly disappointing. They could've thought of something more original. Honestly. If you're going to have aliens in the movie, at least take some time to introduce them - and their purpose - properly.
The second half of the film is just some cheesy religious propaganda. Total drivel. And that scene with the two kids on a supposedly new planet as Adam and Eve... oh, the horror! Words can't convey how cringe-worthy it was.
The special effects were a bit lame and unrealistic.
(1) Lots of WTF moments, too. For instance, he wasted several hours writing those numbers (from Lucinda's paper) *by hand* on a chalk board?? He could've just made a bloody photocopy! (2) And what about Lucinda? She's clearly disturbed and a major weirdo, yet nobody in school seems to do notice - or care about - her issues. That kind of behavior is impossible to ignore. There wasn't much background on Lucinda at all -- basically, we know nothing about her, even though the whole movie is based around her.
(3) What the f*** was that plane crash all about? A plane has crashed (and exploded -- several times!), yet all the people seem to have got away with catching a little fire. Not even them, but their clothes. They seem to be in impeccable condition i.e. not injured in any way. That scene was incomprehensible.
And plenty more where that came from.
I'm giving it 7 stars just for the premise, which I thought *was* excellent. The execution seriously sucked, though.