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The Thinning

Play trailer Poster for The Thinning 2016 1h 21m Mystery & Thriller Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 2 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In a dying world, population control is dictated by an aptitude test in high school. When two students discover the test is all smoke and mirrors and hiding a larger conspiracy, they go against the system to expose the conspiracy and take it down.

Critics Reviews

View All (2) Critics Reviews
Adi Robertson The Verge The film seems utterly indifferent toward its own subject matter. Oct 23, 2018 Full Review Brian Costello Common Sense Media Some peril, sex in teen dystopian sci-fi tale. Rated: 3/5 Apr 19, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (97) audience reviews
Jojo H This movie had great potential with such an interesting premise, but instead decided to spend the short hour and 30 minutes of run time accomplishing nothing, developing nothing, and doing nothing but show viewers’ the main character’s escape back into the corrupt society it wanted to get away from in the first place. No overthrowing the system Katniss type stuff here. None of the characters are explored enough to feel likeable or relatable. The action scenes are extremely unrealistic. It felt like if “running in a circle” was a movie instead of a phrase. Everything that happens really serves no purpose when you think about it. And don’t even get me started on the cringeworthy romance sprinkled throughout that made me feel like I was reading a YA book, not a thriller. Overall very disappointed. It had some clever moments, but nothing to make it salvageable. I don’t know how such a short film felt so slow- but it did. I do not recommend. If only they had spent more time fleshing it out, giving it more depth. In the meantime, go watch a different dystopian classic if you’re in that kind of mood. Not this movie. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 07/22/24 Full Review Lilly M Honestly never thought i'd say this about a movie but this needs to be longer. Longer and BETTER - not to say i don't enjoy a movie that doesn't waste any time but as a whole, it was quite textbooky e.g. "first we need to do this, then this needs to happen, oh then this has to happen," etc. No actual flow of any kind and little effort from the actors to make this world believable. Almost plays out like Detroit Become Human, the difference being Detroit Become Human lived up to its hype. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/30/24 Full Review George H Even though this is a YouTube movie is actually decent. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/23/23 Full Review Victor O I'm a big fan of actress Peyton R. List, and I was more than disappointed in how difficult it was to find this, given its exclusivity on YouTube. But I managed, and must say I was blown away. The Near Future. The world's population has grown to the point that the world must go to extremes to protect the world. In the United States, the government culls humanity's children from the moment they enter kindergarten to their final year in high school with the least intelligent euthanized. Laina Michaels has worked her hardest to pass the standardized test that determines your fate known as The Thinning, while still trying to maintain the semblance of a life in a dystopian world that presumably preys on the less intelligent. While the wealthy do their best as much as the poor, Blake Redding, the son of the governor, just wants to live his life on his terms and not under his domineering father. But after a year in which his great love was lost to the Thinning, he decided to end his life on his final run with Laina working as hard as ever, this time protecting her sister. But things go awry when it appears the test is not being fair to its students as on this Thinning becomes an event of chaos. Wow! Why in the world is this exclusive on YouTube when it should be given the straight-up Hollywood treatment? In many ways it's similar to the Hunger Games movies, only instead of a contest it's a test in which the smartest, not the strongest, are deemed worthy to live. Similar to Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet, only instead of being random and fair, it's presumably corrupt and unfair. This was filmed on a low budget, but it's well made and has splendid acting from the young kids to adults. A frightening story makes you think as well as a thrilling action film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/29/23 Full Review Tina K A story that takes place in a dystopian world where a barbaric "solution is used to manage overpopulation. I like the unexpected twists! Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review leanne e It was OK very predictable and not much original about it , good to pass time I spose Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Thinning

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis In a dying world, population control is dictated by an aptitude test in high school. When two students discover the test is all smoke and mirrors and hiding a larger conspiracy, they go against the system to expose the conspiracy and take it down.
Director
Michael J. Gallagher
Producer
Michael J. Gallagher, Jana Winternitz, Michael Wormser
Screenwriter
Michael J. Gallagher, Steve Greene
Production Co
Legendary Digital Media, Cinemand, Kids At Play
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 28, 2017
Runtime
1h 21m