Review of The 5th Wave (2016) by Scott D — 09 Feb 2016
The 5th Wave is exceedingly average. The banality of the script with its clichéd story beats is all the more frustrating because there are some fairly interesting ideas in the core of the story. The movie shifts from gritty survival/rescue war film to teen sci-fi romance and back again.
There are some pretty dark sequences and themes for the PG-13 rating. The shame is that there is considerable talent on display. The cinematography is actually quite beautiful. The direction is taught and suspenseful.
Jackman's score is better than average. But all this in service of a story that is pedestrian and predictable. Every time the movie begins to shed its genre conventions and makes us think there might be something more to what we are seeing, a YA fiction trope comes roaring in to dispel our optimism.
From a tired and unnecessary voice over narration, to obligatory scenes of love at first sight, to plot convenient coincidences, 5th Wave is not recommended.
This review of The 5th Wave (2016) was written by Scott D on 09 Feb 2016.
The 5th Wave has generally received mixed reviews.
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