MOVIE REVIEW: THE GIVER (2014)

 

” THE GIVER ” (2014) MOVIE PREVIEW

Packed with suspense. Fraught with thrills. A story to touch your soul. More …..

These three superlatives will aptly describe this one heck of a sci-fic dystopian tale.

“THE GIVER” lead star isn’t Jeff Bridges who plays the Giver, nor Meryl Streep who portrays the Community’s Chief Elder.

The movie brings forth Brenton Thwaites, the new energetic actor with his many expressions of contorted pain and anguish to plays Jonas. He is the right choice.

Brenton was last seen in THE SIGNAL and his star is now shining bright.

Let’s dig deeper:

 THE GIVER centers on Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), a young who-has-not-seen-the-world guy who lives in a boring world of conformity.

Inside his peaceful vicinity, he spends time with The Giver (Jeff Bridges), the sole keeper of all the community’s memories. Jonas, with his perceptive mind quickly uncovers the heinous truths of his community’s secret past.

With this new found power of knowledge, he soon realizes that the stakes are higher than he anticipates – if he chooses life, then someone else will die in place.

 Jonas now knows he has to make a turnaround decision to escape from their unrealistic world. This is a challenge that many have attempted but no one has succeeded.

THE GIVER is based on Lois Lowry’s popular young adult novel of the same name, which incidentally, won the coveted 1994 Newbery Medal and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide.

As Jonas, Brenton Thwaites brings fresh energy to the role of a young man who is eager but terrified by what he learns.

Katie Holmes plays Jonas’ mother, a higher-up in the Department of Justice. Her role does not demand much except to look peeved or bewildered.

Meryl Streep wears a haggard appearance as the Community’s Chief Elder. It’s not a chirpy role for sure.

To fans of the juggernauts “The Hunger Games” and the “Divergent” series, “The Giver” may not appear to be a justifiable follow-up.

The film director Phillip Noyce certainly carves a stylish piece, narrating a story that grips from the very beginning.

Absorbing entertainment, to say the least.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Local Distributor: GSC MOVIES