Top 5 YA Dystopian Book to Movie Adaptations

With the increasing popularity of the young adult dystopian genre in literature, comes the inevitable Hollywood film adaptations that keep fans satisfied and on the edge of their seats with each new installment. What makes these dystopian worlds so popular are the powerful messages hidden beneath the surface that resonate with audiences of all ages. In recent years, films of old and new dystopian novels have made it to the big screen to continue to show us this universe. Here are some of the best and most popular adaptations so far:

The Hunger Games

In this trilogy, underprivileged children are forced to fight to the death on live television as pure entertainment for the wealthy elite. Adapted to the big screen in 2012, the first film was the most successful non-sequel movie in box office history. The films are praised for their strong political and societal themes as well as Jennifer Lawrence’s excellent performance as Katniss Everdeen. Only minor changes were made for the movies such as a less sadistic President Coin and changes to scenes and chronology.

Divergent

Tris Prior, played by The Fault in Our Stars’ Shailene Woodley, is classified as a Divergent which is ultimately seen as a threat in this dystopian world. As she struggles with her identity and her relationships, Tris finds that the government wants her dead. Although the books were lauded by critics, the first two films failed to live up to some critics’ expectations. The major critique was the predictability and formulaic approach that followed in the footsteps of The Hunger Games. Still, they earned massive profits at the box office and are even available for viewing on cable TV. In the films, the factions are more clearly separated and rarely interact with one another. In addition, there are less fights shown in the pits in the film, whereas the books highlight their violent nature.

The Giver

Based on a classic book written by Lois Lowry, The Giver establishes a world where pain and suffering have been eliminated. Jonas and his peers conform to the society’s “Sameness.” He is overloaded when he is appointed as Receiver, a consultant for the leader who records all the stories of the past world. He doesn’t know how to deal with emotion, something his society has abandoned. Critics were split in their opinion of the film, saying it failed to conceptualize the larger themes of the book. However, some major changes from novel to the film worked very well such as Jonas’ age from a preteen to a teenager, which worked well with his maturity, and the technology represented, which seemed much more accurate to today’s technological advances.

The Maze Runner

Thomas awakens in a closed community with a mysterious maze-like prison and no recollection of who he is or how he got there in this post-apocalyptic world. His fellow maze runners who are all boys of similar age also share this condition. Although some critics believed the film to be inconclusive, many others praised the acting, dark tone, and action. Only small changes were

made for the film including Thomas’ memory coming back to him almost immediately and the change of demeanor amongst some characters. The second film in the franchise, The Scorch Trials, is set to premiere this month and is highly anticipated by fans and critics alike.

Ender’s Game

Ender Wiggin and many other gifted children are trained at a young age to fight in a battle against an alien species who have attacked Earth and killed millions of people. The film scored well at the box office but did not captivate critics to the same level as the novels. The movie follows the same basic plot of the book, but abandons some of what makes the original work so thought-provoking. For starters, the history is laid out before the film begins, whereas the book deals with the history gradually. However, for a film adaptation, this might have been a positive change to quickly immerse audiences in this world.

While some of these movies don’t capture audiences the way the original books did, they continue to be quite successful and engaging. We have much to look forward to in the coming years with multiple franchises premiering their next installments including The Scorch Trials, Mockingjay Part 2, and Allegiant.

About Elizabeth Eckhart

Bio:

Elizabeth Eckhart is a film and entertainment blogger that was born and raised in Chi Town, Illinois. She likes fantasy, especially, as well as sci-fi and other genres of fictional stories.

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