Review of The Darkest Minds (2018) by Kevin L — 11 Aug 2018

The Darkest Minds is basically just a blend of every YA cliché under the sun. In this day in age, Young Adult novels are all the rage. The same can be said for their movie adaptations. They either work (with every book in the series getting adapted) or they don't (one and done).

The trailer for The Darkest Minds certainly peaked my interest. Most of the marketing pushed it as an X-Men style YA thriller. I didn't read the book, but the movie doesn't seem too different.

The Darkest Minds centers on a girl named Ruby Daly (played by Rue from The Hunger Games). After an event wipes out most of the population's children. The only surviving children develop superpowers.

Green - high intelligence, Blue - telekinesis, Gold - create electricity, Red - manipulate fire, Orange - mind control. These powers are shown when their eyes turn that color. Obviously Ruby is an Orange, and therefore dangerous, but misunderstood.

She eventually winds up with a group of kids looking for some sort of safe haven. You're probably already picking up on all the clichés I mentioned. A young female protagonist, "unique" character names, factions, everything has a nickname, an evil government, a rebellion, a love triangle, you name it, it's probably there.

I didn't really have confidence in the movie, but I showed minimal interest enough to go see it by myself. In the end, The Darkest Minds Never Fade In the Afterlight will never see the light of day with a movie this copy and paste.