Jennifer Yuh Nelson, director of Kung-Fu Panda 2 and 3, brings us an formidable dystopian movie from the equally formidable novel by Alexandra Bracken. With Wayward Pines’ Chad Hodge offering screenwriting duties, The Darkest Minds makes an attempt to thrill however as a substitute comes throughout as a barely greater than satisfactory effort.

In a world the place most kids have been worn out by a illness, the genetic mutation that saved the remaining few has additionally brought on them to have extraordinary powers. Rather than educate the kids and their households find out how to survive with these talents, the authoritarian authorities creates internment camps to accommodate, isolate, and research them. But Ruby, portrayed by Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games), develops uncommon talents that permit her to flee the camp with the assistance of Cate (Mandy Moore), who intends for her to affix the League of Children, comprised of different survivors who’re trying to alter the present authorities’s coverage.

The story itself will not be dangerous in its idea, however the first hour could be very rushed. Hodge tries to provide the viewers an excessive amount of too quick, and the tip result’s too little of the whole lot. It leaves the viewer , however not caring sufficient in regards to the story or characters to really feel actually concerned with them. It doesn’t assist that there are moments the place it tries too arduous to method the themes of inclusion, exclusion, and the battle between the 2, and that is distracting all through. Saving the movie, although, is a turning level within the last half hour when the whole lot slows down lengthy sufficient that the viewers can begin to really feel some empathy. Unfortunately, by this level a lot of the rest of the story is predictable.

Nelson’s route varies all through the movie, with some characters and scenes being spot-on whereas others range from too refined to over-acted to the purpose of cartoonish. She clearly is aware of her enterprise, as evidenced by her outings in animation, however has not fairly but discovered her footing with live-action actors.

The two lead characters are finely portrayed, and with barely higher route one could be extra sympathetic in direction of them. Amandla Stenberg is growing right into a superb younger actress, totally able to enjoying robust, but weak, feminine leads. Harris Dickinson (Trust) performs Liam, her good friend who began as a pacesetter however, in a notable change from the norm, is completely completely satisfied to be the second to Ruby’s lead. Dickinson does properly at this, not falling into the realm of seeming whiny or subservient. We see sufficient of Southpaw’s Skylan Brooks as Chubs to know that, ought to a sequel be made, he will likely be value watching.

Of all of the technical elements, the cinematography is the best aspect. Veteran cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau brings a method that’s panoramic within the lengthy photographs, intimate within the shut photographs, and vivid with out being overwhelming in motion scenes.

The Darkest Minds might have been rather more than it’s, however so many elements of the manufacturing appear rushed that it solely sits as a good entry, totally on the backs of the 2 leads, the cinematography, and the ultimate act.