By Samiksha Mehta – Staff Reporter

This sci-fi movie is not one moviegoers want to miss.

[WARNING: Review of this movie comes with small spoilers. You have been warned!]

“The Darkest Minds,” filmed on August 3 is a sci-fi movie based on people diagnosed with Idiopathic Adolescent Acute Neurodegeneration (IAAN) which the government deems dangerous and thinks it’s something they can get rid of. They separate the kids into groups named by color, based on how dangerous their powers are. Blue, the color classification for those who develop telekinetic powers. Green, for those who developed enhanced mental and intellectual powers. Yellow, for those who developed electrokinetic powers. Orange, — classified as the most dangerous one — for those who developed mind control.

Ruby Daly, a sixteen year old girl, is an Orange. She developed her powers at ten years old, when she woke up and accidentally wiped her parents’ memory of her. She got shipped off to Camp Thurmond, base camp for kids ten years or older. They try and “take away” the kids’ powers, so that they aren’t a threat to the government anymore; no matter what color classification they fall under. Blues, least dangerous and oranges are the most dangerous.

A strong point of the movie is when the high-speed car chase comes in. Ruby had run away from the camp and had met some new kids on their way to a safe haven. She got in the car, and immediately people from the camp got notified of her disappearance and set people to go after her. Two people in a car chase after the minivan the kids had stolen, and zoom behind them, the driver shooting a gun and hitting the front mirror. The driver of the minivan, a Blue kid named Liam, instructs Ruby to drive while he goes to the back, saying, “it’s just like riding a bike.” Ruby gets in the driver’s seat and starts driving, as best as she can. Meanwhile, Liam throws open the back door and starts using his telekinesis powers to try and throw the people in the other car off their track. This is the best point of the movie because viewers can witness the adrenaline rushing through their veins as they use their powers. It’ll make people sit at the edge of their seat, wondering if they’ll make it or not.

A weak point of the movie was when they when they got to the camp to see the Slip Kid (the kid who’s rumored to help everyone realize/control their powers). The Slip Kid was expected to be this kid who was basically a god, or someone every kid looked up to. Instead, they found out the Slip Kid was the president’s son, Clancy Grey. Ruby, Liam and the other kids (Charles “Chubs”, a Green; Suzume (Zu), a Blue) who tried to get to East Haven (the camp Slip Kid was in charge of), all thought Clancy was a guy who could help them and not make them feel left out. But, Clancy turned out to be evil.

“The Darkest Minds” is definitely more science than fiction, which gives a little in-depth explanation of their “disease” called IAAN. This movie is definitely worth watching.  

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars