Name: Paula Janella Mae S.

Malabanan
Grade and Section: STEM-1207

Movie Analysis: The Darkest Minds

American author Alexandra Bracken’s 2012 creates a novel about dystopian fiction "The Darkest
Minds" and it became movie adaptation released in 2018 directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson. The
movie primarily focuses on the perspective of the superpowered individuals who resist
government control. The government fears these children and places them in internment camps
and gives them color coded t-shirts that classify them by their abilities. The story advocates for
the necessity of resistance against government, asserting that children had the capability and
power to confront and alter systems of control.

The film’s first establishing shots set the action on the outbreak of the Idiopathic Adolescent
Acute Neurodegeneration or IAAN, a pandemic which only affects children, resulting in the
development of extraordinary powers and nearly 90 percent of the country’s children dying. For
the safety of their country, the government arrive at the solution by separating the children from
their families and promising to the parents that their child will be cured. The children with
powers are sent to different internment camps and divide them using color coded t-shirts based
on their superpower. The story will soon move forward to the protagonist Ruby's escape from
one of the internment camps, Thurmond. Ruby encounters and joins a group of other young
escapees, Liam, Chubs, and Zu. Four of them had plan on going to head for the mysterious East
River, which is said to be safe place for children with extraordinary powers. There are flashbacks
throughout the film which give insight into the characters' pasts, especially the protagonist,
Ruby. These flashbacks give an indication of important moments and connections, which can be
understood as a reflection on the character's motives and wider narrative. As they approach the
East River, there's a lot of information and complications about the government's intentions,
what their camps are supposed to accomplish, and some kind of mystery figure called the Slip
Kid. The climax of the film involves a confrontation with the government forces and a resolution
to the immediate conflict. The end of the film sets the stage for possible sequels and hints at the
ongoing challenges.

The Darkest Minds implies to the young people being empowered to make change and make
their voices heard by everyone. Like in the scene where Ruby and her friends fought back
against to the government. It encourages viewers to reflect on societal norms, government
structures, and the consequences of discrimination. This movie inspires even just one teenager
today to stand up or to fight an injustice they see, or if it helps them connect to their own
empathy, to understand they aren’t powerless. The powers the teens have were always meant to
represent that innate drive, energy, and power young people have inside of them to make change.

In conclusion, “The Darkest Minds” serve as a commentary on societal issues, such as fear of the
unknown, discrimination, and the consequences of unchecked governmental power. The author
may aim to encourage readers or viewers to reflect on these issues in the context of the fictional
world created in the narrative. The film encourages viewers to consider the relevance of these
themes in the real world.
Name: Jherline Anne M. Regal
Grade and Section: STEM-1207

Movie Analysis: The Darkest Minds

In this young adult fiction released on 3rd of August 2018, film adaptation of the novel “The
Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken, a mysterious illness plagued the United States, it kills
almost all of the children and a brings out superpowers in others. The authorities rounding up
kids and teens to be put into closely guarded internment camps. There are five levels of power
they can develop. The film is about empowered young characters that unite for a common
purpose.

In this near-future setting, most children in the United States have died from a disease called
IAAN (Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration). The authorities considered the powers
developed by the youngsters who survived it to be harmful. For the sake of national security,
these survivors known as Psi—were placed in camps. The five color-coded categories of psi
skills are as follows: Blues have the ability to mentally move items, Greens have superior
intelligence, Reds can start fires, Yellows can control electricity, and Oranges have the ability to
enter other people's thoughts. The protagonist—Ruby has been trapped in a cruel government
camp with thousands of other kids for the past six years of her life, pretending to be less
powerful than she is in order to stay safe. When she manages to escape, she joins up with three
other kids like her, Liam, Chubs, and Zu, and decide to search for the mysterious East River, run
by someone known as the Slip Kid; a place where they can finally be safe and unafraid of being
chased by bounty hunters or brought back to the terror they escaped.

The Darkest Minds film is relevant nowadays especially into young audiences, as it creatively
portrays youth in the society pertaining to sociocultural issues. The movie rushes through the
explanations of Ruby’s time at camp, causing a huge set-back in her character development. Her
eventual acceptance of being an “Orange” depicts phenomenon in this generation to embrace
who they really are. The film is a true collaboration, and it was amazing to see what resonated
with different people.

In conclusion, this film will be a reminder and inspiration that the youth aren't to be
underestimated in this generation. The powers of the teenagers in The Darkest Minds were meant
to represent that inherent drive that young people have to make change, and how the world
pushes back against it. It’s incredibly meaningful that this kind of film is happening as more teen
activists’ step onto the world’s stage and make their voices heard.