DISCLAIMER: I had a feeling this movie was based from a novel and lo and behold it is. But giving that I don't have the time to read, analyze and compare between the books and the movie. I'm just gonna review this film as a movie goer as fair as possible. If you think there's some things that I've missed or misinterpreted please tell me so. Just be aware that telling me to "go read the books" is not a compelling argument.
Real Talk: As much as this movie has a good premise, there are a few plot threads that raises too many questions. And I feel that there's so much worldbuilding that a 105 minute movie won't be enough to convey such important plot elements.
Miss: So this disease (I.A.A.N.) kills 90% of the children population while the survivors gain superhuman abilities. OK that's interesting but what makes the children susceptible to this disease that they either die or get superpowered? What about teenagers, what makes them not susceptible to I.A.A.N.? How do the children get infected with I.A.A.N., is it airborne, cross-contamination, having unique genetics? Or how about the unborn babies are they infected once they're born, are they possibly vaccinated after they're born? Did every adult on earth decided not to have kids until a cure is found? Did every adult got themselves chemically sterilized in case of accidental pregnancies? Again there's so many plot elements to touch upon that a 105 minute movie won't be enough to explore them all.
Hit: Gotta give this child actor playing Young Ruby credit for her performance. If I woke up one morning and my parents don't know who I am I'd freak out too.
Miss: So earlier the U.S. President promises that these superpowered children will get the help needed. Only a little bit later there's a scene of Ruby and other superpowered kids are taken to a concentration camp. Well this President was lying his ass off.
Miss: Also *The superpowered children being taken to concentration camps.* Lazy non-subtle metaphors or heavy handed real world allegories, take your pick.
Miss: This is a pet peeve I have when it comes to stories of people born with superpowers. Either the government or some (covert) agency will not have the tools necessary to handle superpowered beings. Yet they managed to do such a feat regardless of being ill-equipped. Sure you can argue that these are kids and they have no understanding nor control of their powers. But even an child untrained with their powers is just as dangerous as a fully trained powered person. All I'm saying is that it doesn't hurt to be better prepared when handling power born beings.
Miss: The doctor examining Ruby states that Reds and Oranges are very rare which I call bullshit giving the fact that a scene earlier there's Ruby and another kid who mind controlled a guard to kill herself are Oranges. As for the Reds, well we'll get to that later.
Miss: Apparently if a child is Red or Orange immediate execution. So much for helping these children, huh President Bullshiter?
Miss: Oh sure Doc, just get in close proximity with Ruby to kill her so she can touch you and control your thoughts that she's a Green. Security measures, what the fuck are those?
Real Talk: And why does Ruby has to touch someone for her powers to work while that other Orange from earlier didn't even lay a hand on that guard? Did the film's writers got confused on how an Orange powers work?
Miss: So the Blues (telekinetics), Golds (electrokinetics), Reds (pyrokinetics) and Oranges (mind control/reading) are in the risk conditions of Guarded, Caution, Dangerous and Lethal. OK fair enough but why are the Greens kept in camps when they're deemed as "safe to approach"?
Miss: The Greens are just super smart at puzzles and numbers, they're not exactly Tony Stark or Reed Richards. When it comes to characters having super intelligence due to a mutation (natural or otherwise) I think of someone like Gear from Static Shock or Skylar from Alphas. Not a bunch of Discount Sheldon Coopers.
Real Talk: And speaking of Tony Stark, even if the Greens are meant to be in camps what's to stop them from secretly building weapons from scraps and make their escape?
Miss: And it's rather a waste to have the Greens to be working in sweatshops instead creating advanced super tech.
Miss: So the humans have a countermeasure against the powered children but it's just some human equivalent of a dog whistle, rather lame I say.
LOL: *Ruby mind controls a guard at the entrance to let her and Cate leave as the guard says "move along".* Suddenly I'm getting Star Wars Episode IV flashbacks.
Hit: Oh hi Gwendoline Christie, I swear I didn't recognize you without the blonde. But seriously brown hair is a nice look for her.
Hit: OK to be honest, that's a bad ass entrance for the Lady Jane character.
Real Talk: I swear that every time Chubs said Lady Jane's name it kept sounding like Lady Jaye (from G.I. Joe).
Real Talk: So kids are either put in camps or hunted by Tracers (bounty hunters for superpowered kids). How's the public even remotely OK with this?
Miss: *That doctor from the beginning of the film gets burned alive by a Red. *So much for Reds being rare and getting shot on sight.
Miss: Liam: "I feel like I should ask you to prom or something." Ruby: "Well unfortunately I'm already going with the captain of the football." Ruby you've been living in a camp for six years, what the hell do you know about prom and football? I'm sure she's joking with Liam but I'm still confused of what she just said considering she's been in a camp since she was ten years old. Is the movie implying that elementary schools have proms?
Real Talk: *Ruby mind controls these two people to drive away.* So now Ruby can use her powers from a distance. Not sure if it's her powers getting stronger or just plot convenience.
Miss: Chubs did not need to use his powers just to figure out that EDO is a radio frequency to locate East River. Did the movie let Chubs magically figure this all out just to not have his powers being completely meaningless to the plot? Because otherwise I don't think the movie would've progress if he didn't use his powers.
Hit: Don't have much to say about the Ruby/Liam relationship but at least it doesn't come off as creepy, forced or abusive as to the Bella/Edward relationship.
Miss: *Ruby mind controls Lady Jane into taking a walk and to never, ever stop.* Suddenly I'm getting X-Men: Wolverine Origins flashbacks and I do not need to be reminded of that movie, ever.
Miss: Also wasn't Lady Jane not briefed that Ruby could be an Orange? Do most Tracers usually just randomly hunt down kids not fully prepared if that certain kid is a higher color?
LOL: Harry Potter reference.
Miss: So East River is a safe haven for the powered kids and yet they're not allow to leave whenever they want. Well this isn't suspicious at all.
Miss: *Ruby and Clancy getting rather close while Liam eavesdrops on them.* WARNING...WARNING...LOVE TRIANGLE ALERT.... WARNING...WARNING...LOVE TRIANGLE ALERT...
Sad Moment: So it's revealed that Ruby accidentally erased herself from her parents memories which explains why they don't remember her.
Miss: Ruby: "I don't want to do to you what I did to my parents!" Liam: "No, I'm never gonna forget you!" Ruby: "You can't make that promise, Liam. You can't help me, you're not an Orange. We're not the same." So just like that you're gonna ditch Liam for Clancy all because you're both Oranges. What makes you think you won't erase yourself from Clancy's memories by accident? Is Clancy immune to this particular ability? You don't know but sure Ruby just immediately piss away what you and Liam had.
Miss/Sarcastic: Oh no, Clancy has a hidden agenda. I mean I would find this actually shocking if I haven't seen this cliche a thousand times before in other shows and movies.
Miss/WTF: *Clancy tries to psychically and physically take advantage of Ruby to the point of being creepily fucked up.* What the fuck am I watching and why is this a scene?! What sick fuck OK'd this scene straight out of a Lifetime made-for-TV movie shit?!
Miss/WTF: Clancy talking to Ruby: "Don't worry. Now that I know how, I'll just ease this part and we can start over." That is such a huge red flag that you can see the flag from fucking orbit! And also why the hell did you say that out loud in front of Ruby you sick piece of shit?!
Hit: Now if there's any hindsight to this fucked up fuckery here, LOVE TRIANGLE AVERTED!!!
Miss: Ruby you were practically almost raped by Discount Edward Cullen, why are you trying to keep it to yourself when Liam wants to help you? What, are you trying to be Discount Bella Swan?
Miss: So it's revealed that Clancy has taken over the U.S. government while his father, the President is locked away. As much as this is an interesting twist it still begs a couple of questions. If Clancy has control of virtually everything then why would he still have the other kids being put in camps instead of just I don't know bring them under his wing willingly? Why even bother with the fake ass safe haven nonsense if he was just gonna have the kids forcibly recruited into his army? I feel like this guy's actions are not only counterintuitive but they're fucking pointless.
Miss: Seriously Chubs, you're using your powers just to figure out that Clancy is with the government? You can see them right in front of you as clear as day to noticed without your powers. Why's this movie making this unnecessary superpower even more unnecessary? This kid is about as useful as the Dan character from Species, they're both good at annoyingly stating the fucking obvious.
Miss: Clancy: "I'm just...trying to make this miserable world a place where we don't have to be afraid. Where those who are special like you and me, can be in charge. And you'd rather run around the woods with this guy?" *Clancy starts punching Liam.* "No one takes what's mine. Not my father, not anyone and certainly not you." I would called this kid Discount Magneto but even that would be an insult to Magneto. So Clancy is more like a Spoiled Superpower Millennial Hipster.
Miss: You know Ruby you could've had the Captain character quickly draw his gun and shoot Clancy instead of himself.
Miss: *Reds begin attacking East River with their breath weapons.* Discount Extremis Soldiers from Iron Man 3.
Real Talk: Don't get me wrong the Reds are rather cool but with the red glowy eyes and faces they remind me way too much like the Iron Man 3 Extremis Soldiers.
Miss: Clancy talking to Ruby: "I can prune and snip and rewrite you now, into a better Ruby. The perfect Ruby. The Ruby that I want you to be." First Clancy attempted psychic rape, now he wants to try psychic grooming on Ruby. I think my soul has officially puke its lungs out in disgust. And that creepy rapist look on his face is really not helping.
Miss: Cate: "We're here to help you and expose the camps for what they are and stop President Gray." Ruby: "President Gray and his son are collecting us, just like you are." So did Ruby just forgot the part about Clancy taking over everything while President Dipshit is locked away? Not gonna mention that bit of important information to Cate at all? OK....
Hit/LOL: Ruby mind controlling Rob: "Liam is not a killer." Mind Controlled Rob: "Liam is not a killer." Ruby: "And you're an asshole." Rob: "I am an asshole." Good one, kid.
Hit: *Ruby erases herself from Liam's memories as she kisses him in order for the League to let him go.* This has to be the one movie where an amnesia kiss not only makes sense to the story but it doesn't come off as shitty plot convenience for the writers to dig themselves out of a pigeon hole. And yes I was referring to Superman II.
Real Talk: If by any chance this movie gets a sequel I hope they fix their shit on the worldbuilding. Or even better just reboot this IP into a TV series to better flow the worldbuilding/plot. I was really hoping for this movie to be good with its unique premise but the overall execution and storytelling felt they were sorely limited by the film's runtime. The Host suffered from this problem when the narration just front loads the movie's worldbuilding rather than showing how the Souls made the Earth a better place. Yes I'm kinda defending a shitty movie based on a shitty novel written by a shitty writer.
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