The Darkest Minds

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The Darkest Minds

PG-13

Released Aug 3, 2018

1h 44m

Sci-Fi

Mystery & Thriller

Action

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Popcornmeter

15%

Tomatometer

139 Reviews

70%

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2,500+ Ratings

When teens mysteriously develop powerful new abilities, they are declared a threat by the government and detained. One of the most powerful young people, Ruby, escapes from her camp and joins a group of runaways who are seeking a safe haven. Betrayed by the adults in power, this newfound family soon realizes that running is not enough -- they must use their collective powers to wage a resistance and take back their future.

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Critics Consensus

The Darkest Minds does little to differentiate itself in a crowded field of YA adaptations, leaving all but the least demanding viewers feeling dystopian déjà vu.

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Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

To say the film suggests a mix of hazy political allegory and Henry Darger's outside-art classic The Story of the Vivian Girls is to make it sound more interesting than it really is.

Mar 4, 2020

Full Review

Roxana Hadadi

Chesapeake Family Magazine

The Darkest Minds puts an X-Men spin on the typical 'teens in dystopia' YA formula, but the result is more derivative than creative.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 17, 2018

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

The film is framed so deliberately as a prelude to more exciting times to come in its sequels that it renders the ending oddly anti-climactic.

Rated: 2.5/5

Aug 15, 2018

Full Review

Brittany Patrice Witherspoon

Pop Culture Reviews

The Darkest Minds has some great ideas and moments sprinkled throughout the film, but ultimately, it is uninspired storytelling that wastes its potential on forced build-up rather than execution.

Rated: 2.5/5

Jul 11, 2024

Full Review

Joe Lipsett

Hazel & Katniss & Harry & Starr Podcast

The film leans into all of the book's worst impulses and, most disappointingly, gives star Amandla Stenberg nothing to do. The FX is on par with other YA films, but the disinterest in exploring this dystopia renders The Darkest Minds hollow.

Dec 1, 2021

Full Review

Matt Cipolla

Film Monthly

[I]t isn't much of anything new, but must it be this boring? The Darkest Minds is stultifying -- a truly joyless experience of YA clichés and generic, licensed pop songs.

Rated: 1.5/5

Jul 25, 2020

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Kyper S

Our family very much enjoyed this film & would like to see additional ones made with the same cast developed into a series. Their individual character traits, personalities, & slow but continous introduction of such, their diverse backgrounds, & unique gifts is fun to watch as they grow into a family. Together they are learning about themselves & each other, in how they communicate, work, play, their sense of humor & life as a hole. We would like to see more with this cast. Critics are correct in that this film is similar to others in some ways. However, it it nice to have a bit less blood, violence, & profanity. There is an opportunity for more character development, creativity, & imagination with these characters, their relationships, stories, memories, trust, commitment, & loyalty. Love conquers all. Violence only begets more violence. Life is not without it's challeges, but we humans often make it harder than what it already is. We choose to believe there would be more traits like those via the Rainey family on "Homestead Rescue" & the people they work along side. Life is not souly about survival but being able to thrive, enjoy the lives we live with the ones we love, & share this life with. This film is not the "100, Maze Runner, Divergent," & the like. This has the beginnings to become something more. Please consider doing additional films. Don't be so quick to judge & sell it short of its potential. Fear is a liar & those who buy it, often react impulsively. We live in a great nation where creativity & imagination is encouraged at a young age. Why try to conceal it with panic, fear, hopelessness, desperation, narcism, & self defeating nonsense. Do not put limitations on yourselves or others. No one can hinder us from learning or growing but ourselves. Strive for continuous improvement, & never stop learning or growing. Thank you kindly.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/05/24

Full Review

Mario A

Boring and predictable

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

12/01/24

Full Review

Skye O

I absolutely adore this movie, it's sweet and makes me connect deeply with the story and characters, I can't recommend this enough.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/16/24

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Albert W

Meh... not bad but not that great either. Seems rather forgettable... it felt like X-Men rip-off type stuff... and some stuff didn't make much sense... but it also had some interesting aspects. 3 stars.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/10/24

Full Review

Jake B

Extremely predictable. The main character is a pick me. It moves too quickly. Don't recommend

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/28/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Kinda boring, very predictable, I hated the end but it is not that bad. Perhaps I wouldn't watch it again, but I has a good evening with the movie, and I didn't expect a lot about it in first place, tbh

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

10/13/24

Full Review

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Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Director

Amandla Stenberg

Ruby Daly

Mandy Moore

Cate

Bradley Whitford

President Gray

Harris Dickinson

Liam

Patrick Gibson

Clancy Gray

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The Darkest Minds: 'What Happens Next?' - Trailer

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The Darkest Minds: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

When teens mysteriously develop powerful new abilities, they are declared a threat by the government and detained. One of the most powerful young people, Ruby, escapes from her camp and joins a group of runaways who are seeking a safe haven. Betrayed by the adults in power, this newfound family soon realizes that running is not enough -- they must use their collective powers to wage a resistance and take back their future.

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Producer: Shawn Levy, Dan Levine
Screenwriter: Chad Hodge
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 21 Laps Entertainment
Rating: PG-13 (Thematic Elements|Disturbing Images|Violence)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 3, 2018, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 2, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA): $12.7M
Runtime: 1h 44m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos, DTS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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