I was really excited to see this film as I love my Sci-Fi. I’m a little hesitant when it comes to Young Adult ( YA) fiction however.

Despite the genre delivering great flicks like The Hunger Games and Divergent, it’s also weighed down by more earnest works that I try and avoid. It’s why I never reviewed A Fault in Our Stars. Because I didn’t want to have to sit through that. It did well at the box office, so maybe I missed out. But then again Transformers did good BO, and I can’t unsee that.

I kind of wish I could unsee The Giver.

I saw the trailer with my younger teenage son a week or so ago and he said – the book is really good.

Despite a stellar cast – Jefff Bridges never moves out of second gear and is stuck as his Tron character without the wizz-bang SFX. Meryl Streep plays an emotionless character, so that’s not going to work as she’s a brilliant actress who can convey any emotion. Brenton Thwaites is really good as the hero of the story who discovers through his appointed role as “The Receiver” of memory, who must learn from “The Giver” (Bridges) about all the pain and conflict that the human race has endured and chosen to exclude from their utopian community.

There are some cool ideas in the film, but it lacked excitement for me. I look forward to hearing what my young man makes of it all. With the Maze Runner out the following week, you might be better saving your pocket money for that. Then again, we’ll have to see what that’s like.

2 & 1/2 Stars.