The Darkest Minds

"When The Darkest Minds name-checks Harry Potter, it adopts a specific strategy. Openly comparing itself to JK Rowling’s famous franchise, the film calls out its own flaws – its similarities with other YA adaptations, namely – before someone else can. Or, at least that’s what the latest page-to-screen dystopian effort would like to think."

"Based on Alexandra Bracken’s YA novel, The Darkest Minds is set in a world where 90% of children have been wiped out. The fascist government rounds up the surviving youths, fearful because they all suddenly possess psychic abilities. Escaping a brutal internment camp, powerful 16-year-old Ruby (Amandla Stenberg) teams up with electricity-wielding Zu (an underutilised Miya Cech), uber-brainy comedy sidekick Chubs (Skylan Brooks), and telekinetic, charisma-free block of wood Liam (Harris Dickinson)."

"There's a lot that's confusing or poorly set up. That's a script problem, but also a lack of emotional direction and momentum."

"Borrows nearly all its ingredients from other popular sci-fi franchises - from "X-Men" to "Stranger Things" - and doesn't much seem to mind if kids recognise how derivative it is..."

""The Darkest Minds" plays like a lightning round in which the goal is to hit as many teenage-dystopia tropes as possible."

"The pieces of a potential franchise are put in play here without stakes being raised or pulses quickened."

"A depressingly formulaic collection of young adult fantasy movie tropes."

"You've seen this future before."

"A by-the-numbers YA dystopia."

"The Darkest Minds boasts a decent cast and a fairly interesting premise centred on likeable characters. But its banality squashes any potential it had, resulting in a safe, forgettable sci-fi."

"About five years and 15 movie dystopias too late to feel the least bit fresh or interesting."