Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson, The Darkest Minds is set in a dystopian world and features ideas of science fiction, horror, or thriller. It was released in 2018 and is based on the young adult novel written by Alexandra Bracken. Following the same trend as The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner, this film, too, attempts to discover the aftermath of a world pandemic that wipes out a majority of the children. This somehow leaves the survivors possessing unexplainable powers. The Darkest Minds tries to balance between emotionally charged storylines and captivating action while exploring the overarching issues of young people living under tyrannical systems – themes of devastation, power, loss of self, and rebellion.
Every catastrophe has a story behind it and in this movie, the causation is just as devastating: in the course of a few years, a plague described as Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration (IAAN) has murdered 98% of children under the age of 19. What remains is an ailing 2% of children with equally terrifying supernatural abilities. The government classifies these traits with specific colors: Green for heightened mental capacity, Blue for telekinesis, Yellow for the ability to manipulate electricity, Orange for mind controlling powers, and Red for controlling flames. This 2% is later claimed to possess advanced powers and, therefore, gets sorted into rehabilitation camps where they are tested. Unfortunately, their life is not any less miserable, as they are bound to be killed or experimented on instead of being rehabilitated. Any child who possesses dangerous capabilities, especially Orange and Red, are deemed a vast risk and are immediately destroyed.
The protagonist, Ruby Daly (Amandla Stenberg), is a 16-year-old girl who has survived the disease but is concealing a perilous secret: she is an Orange. The blame for her condition puts her on top of the government’s hit list; her ability to manipulate the mind an even greater threat. When Ruby is discovered, she manages to escape with the help of a doctor from a rogue organization. Once free, she joins a group of young outcasts: Liam (Harris Dickinson), a gentle but strong Blue telekinetic; Chubs (Skylan Brooks), a brilliant Green; and Zu (Miya Cech), a mute Yellow electricity controller.
They travel across a dystopian America in search of a fictitious rendezvous presumed to be safe- East River, a camp headed by a cryptic character known as the Slip Kid. Their journey is filled with perilous encounters, including but not limited to: bounty hunters, government patrols, and internal conflict as each one grapples with the reality of their abilities and what future awaits them. As Ruby gets closer to Liam, her growing fear of harming people- especially through memory erasure or alteration- adds a somber layer to their romance.
The Slip Kid is ultimately revealed to be Clancy Gray (portrayed by Patrick Gibson), the character’s arch rival in the series, who is also the son of the President of the United States and an Orange just like Ruby. From the start, he is charming and perceptive, but Clancy becomes a key player as his thirst for power and control comes into view. In his eyes, the heterogeneously gifted youth represents an opportunity to ascend to power and create an image of the world that satisfies him, using his powers for subjugation rather than emancipation. His treachery makes Ruby deal not only with the imminent dangers of the world but the real danger of all – wielding and depending on power.
The dystopian environment is the main aesthetic of the film, completely imaginative and one of the strongest aspects of the film. The effects, although not overly dramatic, effectively highlight the children’s feats during climactic and emotionally intense scenes. For example, when Liam lifts massive pieces of wreckage to act as shields for his comrades or when Ruby shatters the barrier guarding one’s reminiscences, the focus is not on the action for the sake of the action but on the essence which in this case functional character development.
Amandla Stenberg’s portrayal of Ruby is striking. She balances the emotional burden of the tale as a girl who fears herself but will do anything to protect the people she loves. The character’s subtle evolution from passive fugitive to empowered leader is profound and embodies a relatable arc. Additionally, Harris Dickinson’s performance as Liam adds warmth to the character and provides compassion and quiet strength to the group. Skylan Brooks balances this by bringing humor and intellect to Chubs. Miya Cech, despite not having any lines, communicates so much depth and vulnerability without uttering a word.
The film also attempts to deal with more complex issues beyond the youthful saga. It addresses authoritarianism, the fear of obscurity, and how society tends to react to things that don’t fall within their realm of understanding. The camps are portrayed as extreme and alienating, reminiscent of real-life instances of social oppression and control. The classification by color represents prejudice and the indiscriminate branding of people based on fear instead of rational understanding and analysis.
Nevertheless, The Darkest Minds does have some shortcomings. Its pacing is choppy, particularly in the first act where world-building is sacrificed to fit in too much exposition, and Ruby’s romance with Liam, albeit sweet, is somewhat underdeveloped due to the film’s limited scope. Moreover, the film contrives to finish on a clear—but as yet unwritten—sequel hook. Consequently, the audience is left feeling the story is incomplete, with many threads never fully explored.
Nevertheless, The Darkest Minds presents an intriguing and entertaining story. It is part of a growing list of films that place young adults in the eye of social and political storms, telling their concerns—and, in some cases, warnings—through metaphor. The message of the film, that it is those who earnestly fight for their future who will seize it, is especially poignant in a time when the youth are witnessing escalating activism and visibility in issues of injustice and change.
In the heartbreaking conclusion, Ruby makes a devastating decision to protect her loved ones by removing Liam’s memories of their relationship, reinforcing the film’s emotional undertones. In the universe of The Darkest Minds, power is as much about responsibility and choice as it is about capability. Existence extends beyond mere survival; one must determine what kind of person they will be in the presence of fear and totalitarian control.
To sum up, The Darkest Minds threads an adventurous dystopian tale that, while heavily relying on familiar tropes from preceding works, tries to establish its identity through well-placed performances, relevant introspective themes, and poignant emotional layers. The movie offers a stern warning and an inviting rallying cry for rebellion, illustrating that even during the bleakest periods, true world-changers often emerge from the most unanticipated places.
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