Ryan Reynolds’ latest movie, The Adam Project, went straight to Netflix on March 11. So far, the new sci-fi movie has gained positive feedback and has been the most-streamed movie on Netflix for several consecutive days.
Reynolds shares the screen with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and pays homage to the science fiction genre in this new movie. This homage comes in the form of references and nods to big movie franchises and popular culture, some obvious while others may take a couple of watches to realize.
Hawking, The Dog
One of the first of many references in The Adam Project is his dog’s name. Adam calls his dog Hawking, a nod to Einstein, Doc’s dog - and the first time traveler - in Back to the Future. Both dogs were named after renowned scientists, and this isn’t the first time this has been done. Synchronic, starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan, also named a dog Hawking, as a nod to the '80s movie franchise.
In Synchronic, Hawking travels through time with Mackie’s character. Unlike Einstein, he isn’t so lucky to return to the present. In The Adam Project, Hawking doesn’t leave his fixed timeline and is instead used to distinguish between years. He also helps young Adam realize he’s staring at his future self at the beginning of the film. Although used in slightly different ways, the dog with the awesome name in each movie has the same purpose: to help move the story along.
Flashlights in E.T.
The Adam Project, like many of Reynolds’ films, is deliberate in much of its shots and dialogue. Toward the beginning of the movie, young Adam searches through the forest with his dog and a flashlight to guide the way. When he’s startled, he runs back to his home, waving his flashlight frantically as he rushes to safety. This shot is nearly identical to those at the beginning of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
E.T. is a timeless family film about a friendly alien that explores themes of love and kindness. It starts in the middle of the night and people are out with flashlights, trying to capture the iconic alien creature. The waving motion of the lights, shown as the people are running, is mirrored in The Adam Project. This reference plays out more like an Easter egg, unnoticed by the typical viewer, but adults who grew up watching E.T. can see the similarities right away.
“Mouth Mullet”
When an older Adam refers to a goatee as a “mouth mullet,” it seems like a small joke thrown in to make fun of the facial hairstyle. However, when Marvel fans see Derek, who has the so-called “mouth mullet,” they may have had a good snicker, as the goatee has a striking resemblance to that of a certain playboy billionaire.
Robert Downey’s Tony Stark is known for his sarcastic demeanor, his love of cheeseburgers, and his solo film that started the MCU. Perhaps just as famous is his goatee, a staple of the character and a style that has become a meme in pop culture. Hair salons advertised the "Tony Stark cut" and people on social media made their opinions known of the look. Ryan Reynolds is known to tease a friend every now and then, so this could be a reference to RDJ.
Back To The Future: Biff’s Investments
Back to the Future still holds up today, making it possibly the most influential and well-known time travel franchise in existence. It makes sense then, that The Adam Project would reference these movies more than once. In Back to the Future Part II, Doc brings Marty to 2015 and things go awry when Biff travels back in time with an almanac and has his younger self bet on things yet to happen.
The Adam Project flat-out mentions this plot point at the beginning of the film when an older Adam tells his younger self to invest in a better future, prompting the younger Adam to bring up Biff’s investments from the sequel. The Adam Project also references Biff’s idea through Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener), who visits her 2022 self to provide "investment opportunities" that will enhance her own future.
The Multiverse
When young Adam learns about time travel, he rightfully has many questions, one being about his older self’s memory of the events happening at that moment in 2022. He suggests a multiverse-style timeframe but older Adam shuts that idea down quickly, admitting he watched way too many movies when he was young.
The concept of a multiverse in movies and TV shows is alive and well. The Arrowverse on the CW and the Marvel Cinematic Universe explores vast realities and timelines. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to go even further and deliver audiences a look at the consequences of messing with reality. The Adam Project plays off this current excitement about the multiverse concept and the growing array of movies and shows that cover it.
Star Wars: Lightsabers & Chase Scenes
Star Wars is one of the most influential franchises of the past century, beginning in the 1970s, as well as one of the best science fiction franchises of all time. It comes as no surprise that many elements from the films are referenced in The Adam Project.
Adam uses a lightsaber-like weapon to fight his foes and in addition to being a fun reference, the effects are absolutely stunning. The lightsaber is only the tip of the iceberg, however. The chase scenes among the rocks and in the forest emulate the race from The Phantom Menace, in which a young Anakin races for a chance to leave Naboo with Qui-Gon, and the chase in Return of the Jedi, when the gang is fleeing the Imperial Army on Endor.
The Terminator: “2050 On A Good Day”
The Terminator, another movie franchise that tackles time travel, is also referenced in The Adam Project. Viewers of Reynolds’ new film don’t see much of 2050 but the older Adam likens it to the 1984 sci-fi classic saying his future is like The Terminator “on a good day.” Not to mention, he travels back in time to save Laura (Zoe Saldana) just as Kyle Reese goes back in time to save Sarah Conner.
The future in The Terminator films is dark and unimaginable. People are fighting an almost unbeatable war against machines, hiding out underground while explosions go off every second. Children are going hungry, people are ill, and there’s death and destruction everywhere. If Adam’s comment about 2050 is honest and without exaggeration, that says a lot about how bad his future really is.
Face/Off Shirt
When the young and older Adam travel to 2018 to meet their dad, a student has a shirt on that reads “Travolta” with an image of Nicolas Cage. Face/Off is about a federal agent (John Travolta) and his nemesis (Cage) who, through plastic surgery, literally steal each other’s faces to advance their respective agendas and take the other person down.
Like several of the movies listed here, Face/Off has become a sci-fi classic, allowing for memes to surface about the iconic face swap that takes place. In The Adam Project, Adam’s father (Mark Ruffalo) acknowledges the shirt. This moment of dialogue is not integral to the plot, but its inclusion shows audiences that Ryan Reynolds and the creators of this film respect the great sci-fi movies that came before.
Godfather Of Time Travel
Ryan Reynolds’ films are notorious for alluding to his and his co-stars’ previous projects. When Louis Reed (Ruffalo) meets two older versions of his son and discovers his work is the basis for creating time travel, he expresses disbelief and refers to himself as the “godfather of time travel.” This title seems fitting, as Ruffalo’s role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe could also bare it.
Mark Ruffalo plays the Hulk, who in Avengers: Endgame, plays a key role in inventing the fantastical means of transportation. He also starred in a fun time-travel film called 13 Going on 30 with Jennifer Garner. The casting of both him and Garner in The Adam Project can be seen as a reference and special Easter egg for fans of the 2004 romantic comedy.
Superhero Landing
During the final battle in The Adam Project, young Adam jumps with a lightsaber and lands in style, declaring it a “superhero landing.” In recent years, movies and characters have been teased for their dismounts, not because they don’t look cool, but because they are often unrealistic or don’t make sense.
In Black Widow, Yelena mentions this to Natasha and calls her a poser. In Deadpool, Wade is intrigued by the ‘superhero landing,’ bringing about a meme-worthy Deadpool scene where he encourages his entourage to land in style as they fight. Young Adam’s declaration of the action directly mirrors Wade’s declaration in Deadpool.