The Giver

"Based on Lois Lowry’s bestselling young adult novel, helmed by action director Phillip Noyce (Salt, Sliver), starring the likes of Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges and, er, Taylor Swift, The Giver is another Divergent Twilight Ender’s Game. Introduced as a seemingly perfect society, the world of the film is soon revealed to be an individuality-stomping dystopia. Leading us through is Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), chosen by the Chief Elder (Meryl Streep, rocking a grey wig), to receive the memories of Jeff Bridges’ Giver. Bridges’ elderly Obi Wan teaches of a world before the fascism of ordered perfection, blowing Jonas’s mind with tales of art and freedom."

"The Giver reaches the screen in a version that captures the essence of Lowry’s affecting allegory but little of its mythic pull."

"While there are echoes and plot resonances from other films and sources, as a film The Giver always feels fresh."

"The enervating hash of dystopian dread, vague religiosity and commercial advertising-style uplift is nothing if not stale."

"There's enough that's fundamentally good in the meat of film not to wholly reject what The Giver is giving us."

"Every aspect of The Giver feels both painfully familiar and like an awkward, unsupportable stretch. For a film about the deep, hidden dangers of enforced sameness, that’s almost hilariously ironic."

"The problems show up during the climactic action sequences. Logic is jettisoned and once that happens, the basic flaws in the whole scenario become all too obvious."

"A lazy ending mars this fine, if generic, take on a much-loved YA novel."