2067 (film)

2067

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2020
Founder	Seth Larney (director and screenwriter)
Headquarters	Australia
Products	Science fiction film

2067 is a 2020 Australian science fiction film directed and scripted by Seth Larney, based on a concept by Gavin Scott Davis, featuring performances by Kodi Smit-McPhee and Ryan Kwanten. The movie did not achieve commercial success and was met with largely unfavorable reviews from critics.

Plot

Set in the year 2067, Earth has been ravaged by climate change and nuclear conflict. The sole surviving Australian city endures thanks to artificial oxygen, which unfortunately causes a deadly illness known as "The Sickness."

Ethan Whyte is devoted to caring for his wife Xanthe, who is afflicted with the Sickness. He receives a summons from Regina Jackson, the CTO of Chronicorp, who informs him that humanity is on the brink of extinction. A time-travel prototype called the "Chronical," created by Ethan’s deceased father Richard Whyte, intercepts a message from 400 years in the future requesting Ethan be sent forward to avert extinction. Although Ethan initially resists due to his bitterness toward his father, Xanthe and his guardian Jude convince him otherwise.

Following a harrowing journey through time, Ethan arrives in a verdant future with minimal supplies. He finds a skeleton concealed within his jumpsuit along with corroded equipment, implying his own demise. After Jude rescues him, they track down the Chronical laboratory. Ethan’s wrist device grants entry to the Chronical, which is programmed to reactivate in four hours.

A hologram of Richard explains that the Chronical was designed to observe future atmospheric data and transmit it back in time. Richard had prepared Ethan’s DNA key after receiving the message but was unable to send anyone earlier due to a power outage in 2474.

When the Chronical activates, a malfunction occurs in its nuclear power core that risks an explosion. Ethan and Jude descend to the reactor beneath their devastated city and discover skeletons, including Xanthe’s—confirming that no cure was found. Jude reveals himself as the voice on a recording made before Ethan’s future death and compels Ethan toward the reactor control room. Unable to override the system remotely, Ethan manually operates a lever inside an airlock.

With time remaining, they locate another exit close to Ethan’s skeleton. Overwhelmed, Ethan pleads with Jude to end his life; Jude refuses but admits that altering the future was never possible. After locking Jude away, Ethan uncovers that Jackson intended to flee to the future with society’s elite and had murdered Richard to seize control. Jude was assigned to ensure Ethan completed his mission so Jackson could eliminate him afterward.

Ethan attempts to deactivate the Chronical but is stopped by Jude; burdened by guilt, Jude takes his own life. Before Jackson can act, Ethan transmits evidence of Richard’s murder back through time along with live plants and a farewell gift for Xanthe. Destroying the Chronical changes history: Jackson is arrested after Archie broadcasts proof to the media; plants aid Earth’s restoration; and in the future, Ethan discovers his city flourishing with innovative and sustainable architecture.

Cast

• Kodi Smit-McPhee as Ethan Whyte
  • Finn Little as Young Ethan Whyte
• Ryan Kwanten as Jude Mathers
• Sana'a Shaik as Xanthe Whyte, Ethan's wife
• Aaron Glenane as Dr. Richard Whyte, Ethan's estranged father
• Deborah Mailman as Regina Jackson
• Leeanna Walsman as Selene Whyte
• Damian Walshe-Howling as Billy Mitchell
• Natasha Wanganeen as Government Official

Production

Director Seth Larney, originally from South Africa and raised near Grafton in New South Wales, Australia, has a background in post-production and visual effects for prominent franchises such as The Matrix Reloaded and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. 2067 represents his debut feature film in Australia, a project in development since 2005, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Stanley Kubrick, Terry Gilliam, Duncan Jones, and Denis Villeneuve. Prior to this, Larney directed short films including The Clearing and Roman’s Ark.

Funding for the film was obtained through contributions from Screen Australia, the South Australian Film Corporation, the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, and Screen NSW. Principal photography took place in Orange, New South Wales, as well as at Adelaide Studios. Jacinta Leong served as the production designer. Producers on the project included Lisa Shaunessy (Arcadia), Jason Taylor (Futurism Studios), and Kate Croser (Kojo).

Release

The film debuted in the United States on 2 October 2020, with screenings held across 15 theaters alongside digital availability.

Its Australian premiere occurred on 14 October 2020 during the opening night of the Adelaide Film Festival, where it was simultaneously shown in seven venues to accommodate high audience interest while adhering to social distancing protocols.

Reception

Following its US launch, the film achieved a fourth-place ranking on the US iTunes digital chart.

On Rotten Tomatoes, it maintains an approval rating of based on reviews, with an average score of . Meanwhile, Metacritic assigned a rating of 39 out of 100 based on eight critic reviews, reflecting "generally unfavorable reviews."

Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com awarded it two stars out of four, criticizing its dialogue editing and direction. Dennis Harvey from Variety acknowledged the film’s ambitious scope but found its execution lackluster and dialogue uninspired.

In contrast, Jake Kleinman at Inverse described it as "the best time travel movie since Avengers: Endgame," commending its daring cyberpunk aesthetic and environmental themes.

John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter recognized some compelling concepts but felt their presentation was inadequate. Germain Lussier from Gizmodo referred to the film as a "mixed bag," appreciating its technical craftsmanship and the musical score by Kirsten Axelholm and Kenneth Lampl, while noting that despite falling short of its lofty aims, it remains captivating thanks to its intriguing ideas and unexpected twists.