Based on the book by Alexandra Bracken, “The Darkest Minds” is set in a post-apocalyptic society. The world has experienced a pandemic of a strange disease that attacks children. Most infected die, but the ones who survive are different. It is discovered that these children develop one of five powers: super intelligence, telekinesis, electrokinesis, pyrokinesis or psionic abilities (mind control). Declared a threat to the government and the public, the survivors of the disease (called IAAN) are put into camps.

The story focuses on Ruby Daly, one of the survivors of the disease who possesses psionic abilities but tries to hide it from everyone around her. We experience this character’s journey to make the survivors of IAAN treated like people again. Amandla Stenberg (who played Rue in The Hunger Games) is casted as Ruby, and does an amazing job. 

This movie is fast paced and action-packed but has moments of peace that really makes it amazing. The end brought tears to my eyes and had me anticipating a sequel. Hopefully there will be more movies, as there are two other books: “Never Fade” and “In the Afterlight”. 

Most of the movie features Ruby and her newfound friends as they run from the government after they’ve escaped from terrible camps that hold people like them; survivors of IAAN who possess abilities. At one point they enter a ‘safe haven’ called the East River, and Ruby meets another survivor with her abilities. This character eventually becomes one of the most important antagonists of the movie and the rest of the trilogy.

The movie also follows the growing romance between Ruby and Liam, one of her companions. It is a beautiful dystopian story.

I would definitely give this movie five stars, and I do not hesitate to side with the 93% of viewers that liked it. If you haven’t seen it and enjoy a good sci-fi movie, consider sitting down and watching “The Darkest Minds.”