25           Jaan Gabriel C. Lacson       10-A                       Movie of the Week (The Giver)

Summary:

In a seemingly perfect world without pain, lies or feelings, Jonas, an 18 year old is chosen to be the next Receiver of Memory, the one who has the memories of the old world. This Receiver gets the memories from the previous Receiver, who is now known as the Giver. After receiving memories, Jonas realizes that there is more to his world than meets the eye, and that there is still a lot left for him to learn.

Review:

          About the script, it can be said that it can leave a lot to be desired from the audience. Compared to the book that it is based from, it did not have the same impact because it didn’t make you stop and think like the book did. The themes of freedom and such are there but it did not flesh them out that well. It felt like you were watching the scenes unfolding compared to actually experiencing them because of the lack of emotional and mental impact.

However, the visuals used were great, for example the community really seemed like it was a world that was perfect, especially the airborne shots. Also, the scenes in the wilderness were also well done; the landscape shots were brilliant in their execution. The acting was fine; there were some highlights from the Chief Elder and the Giver. However, after the movie, the performances tend to start to mix. Also a small point, sometimes the reality of the movie doesn’t make sense; I don’t think it’s possible for someone to not fall off when sliding tens of stories down a metal slope using a tray, among other things. All in all, it is still an okay experience in the cinema, which can still be enjoyed; however, it’s not one to win an award.