Set in the United States, an unexpected outbreak occurs, which ends up killing over 90% of young children across the globe. The remaining young ones who are still alive gain powers (or giftings and abilities), some with skills stronger than others. One such young girl is Ruby, who lives with her mother and father. Ruby wakes one morning only to find her parents no longer recognise her and think she is a stranger. Not knowing how this is possible, Ruby is forced out of her home, joining others just like her.

Confession time. When I 1st saw the film’s trailer and poster I couldn’t help but be slightly negative about it. The film seemed to be just another “Maze Runner” or even worse… another “Divergent Series” which I didn’t enjoy. That being said, I always wanted to watch this either way and see for myself with fresh eyes.

One element that is done exceptionally well is the film’s setup and plot. The film gives us so many mysteries and questions about Ruby and the changes in the world. With this opening alone, you can’t help but be curious to know more about the problems Ruby is facing. While some answers are found and revealed, some questions are also raised as the film goes on.

Our child and teenage performances are rather solid (again, surprising) apart from a couple of youngsters who I simply won’t be cruel about (after all, they’re just kids!). Actress Mandy Moore makes a crucial appearance in the film, but I must say her performance here was harrowing and poor.

Something random to also highlight is how clean and family-friendly this film is. There is no foul language or inappropriate content, making this film rather more family-friendly than I even expected. It’s great to see movies like this can still be made without introducing love triangles that last the whole duration of a film (cough, Twilight).

Overall, I found this film extremely surprising in regards to the enjoyment it brought me. The film’s biggest disappointment after viewing it is that fans may never get a sequel to follow which can be annoying considering how the movie ends.

6.0/10

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Review Written by Peter Walkden