The Giver (2014)

Directed by Phillip Noyce. Starring Brenton Thwaites, Jeff Bridges, Odeya Rush, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, Alexander Skarsgård, Cameron Monaghan, Emma Tremblay, Taylor Swift. [PG-13]

Dystopian tale from Lois Lowry’s influential YA book, set in a post-catastrophe future where society is forbidden from going beyond the reaches of their peaceful community into “the Elsewhere”, but young Jonas (Thwaites) is too curious to let such mysteries remain, especially once he’s chosen to be the new Receiver of Memory—the only person in the community permitted to learn the history of mankind. Based around a lot of familiar genre tropes out of Huxley, Orwell, et al—genetic engineering, suppression of dreams and sexual desire, watchful and intrusive authority, and so forth—Michael Mitnick and Robert Weide’s screenplay holds the viewer’s hand more than Lowry’s book did, simplifying “starter kit” ideas into hollow platitudes and generic discoveries. As the sage mentor and chief elder respectively, Bridges and Streep class up the joint, but their young co-stars are as stiff and bland as the personality-deprived “young, pretty people” you can find in the stories that ripped this one off but made it to theaters first (e.g., Divergent). Digital effects leave much to be desired, especially during the needlessly overwrought final act, injecting action and thrills where none belong. Curious fans of pop star Taylor Swift should be warned she’s barely in the movie.

45/100