I am not sure what is going on with the complaints about this not being true to the book or 'things have changed' or perhaps the people reviewing it prior to me are expecting a continuation of the film or haven't read the books in years unlike me, but I don't see a massive deviation from the novels other than some modernisation of the tale.
When the books were written, it was a different political climate and youth culture, when the books were written it spoke to the teenagers of my time (90's) where mobile phones and social media weren't everywhere and the biggest threat was a far off distant war in Iraq.
In the movie, there wasn't even mention of The Hermit and yet, the kids mentioned him quickly as they went to enter Hell.
The relationship of the teens is presented exactly as I remember it and their discovery of the invasion feels like it came straight out of the books.
The highlighting of the joy these teenagers experienced in Hell is to prepare you for the stark realisation that these childish experiences are over before the teenagers are thrown into situations much more adult than they are, that their dreams and hopes are about to be shattered as much as their lives are.
I find it a wonderful updated, modern interpretation of a novel series I still read and adore even today.
Don't expect the movie here, whilst the movie was excellent and did take lines from the novel, the series has a lot more chance to play with the themes and events from The Tomorrow series and The Ellie Chronicles. It can take longer to reveal plot points and build the changing, growing nature of the kids relationships and how war will inevitably change them.
I look forward to seeing how it continues.
When the books were written, it was a different political climate and youth culture, when the books were written it spoke to the teenagers of my time (90's) where mobile phones and social media weren't everywhere and the biggest threat was a far off distant war in Iraq.
In the movie, there wasn't even mention of The Hermit and yet, the kids mentioned him quickly as they went to enter Hell.
The relationship of the teens is presented exactly as I remember it and their discovery of the invasion feels like it came straight out of the books.
The highlighting of the joy these teenagers experienced in Hell is to prepare you for the stark realisation that these childish experiences are over before the teenagers are thrown into situations much more adult than they are, that their dreams and hopes are about to be shattered as much as their lives are.
I find it a wonderful updated, modern interpretation of a novel series I still read and adore even today.
Don't expect the movie here, whilst the movie was excellent and did take lines from the novel, the series has a lot more chance to play with the themes and events from The Tomorrow series and The Ellie Chronicles. It can take longer to reveal plot points and build the changing, growing nature of the kids relationships and how war will inevitably change them.
I look forward to seeing how it continues.