The Giver: Movie vs. Book
******CONTAINS SPOILERS, SORRY*****R-Hello everyone! My summer has been filled with the glorious days of sitting in my house, Netflixing (watching seasons, one episode after another, often finishing a show within a number of days, also referred to as binge watching), and watching the latest movies Hollywood has to offer. I just recently bought the amazing movie Divergent on DVD as I hope most of you did, and I watched three days in a row, daring myself to press the repay button after I finished. Unlike most people I really enjoyed the ending of the first movie and I can’t wait to see the thrilling sequel next March. Although I write on and on about Divergent, as the title says, this is my book to movie comparison of The Giver. I first want to start off by saying my score. I usually don’t do this but I need the rest to explain why I chose my score. I rate this book to movie adaption with a 1. Now I must say that if you have never read the book or forgot what happens, the movie was okay. Definitely not one of my favorites but worth seeing. I loved the way they flashed the memories and I also loved the way they showed the community. Also, one thing not really related to the book is the filming. The filming was jumpy and I honestly did not like it. Now that is if you did not read the book, on the other hand I love this book and I have read it three time and Hollywood has taken this classic book and made it a dystopian love story to fit right up there with Divergent and the Hunger Games. Not that those were bad movies (maybe the Hunger Games a little) they were written to have a hero, a love interest, and best of all teenagers. The Giver is a book based on a twelve year old, I mean there is a specific ceremony the honors the turning to twelve. Just like Percy Jackson, Jonas has magically become six or seventeen. That was one big point that I didn’t like and every one told me- “Well you can’t find good twelve year old actors." Tell that to the first Harry Potter, Hugo, The Sandlot, every one of your favorite movies that has a young actor. Twelve year olds can be good! Any way moving on to the next major point I did not like. Once Jonas was chosen for his job he rarely saw his friends again, but Hollywood said no we need to make money on this film lets make Jonas fall in love. “I promise I’ll come back for you, Fiona.” No! No. No. No. No. NO! Jonas has a few dreams about Fiona and that is only because he now has real emotions. He doesn’t try to show her his new feelings. He doesn’t almost get her released. And he certainly does not kiss her! She is supposed to only see Jonas when they pass by each other in the community, nothing more. My last big point is the Chief Elder is now the bad guy. Giving orders to ‘lose’ Jonas. Always suspicious about the Givers training, capturing him in the end. Th chief elder in the book didn’t have a clue and was barley mentioned. Those are my three big points but there were so many little details that got me mad, but I didn’t mind as much. Lily was nine and had her bike, where she was supposed to be eight. Asher got pilot instead of recreation director and Fiona got nurturer instead of caretaker of the old. The Giver put his hands on Jonas’s arms instead of his back. There was no river, like in the book, just ‘the edge.’ Jonas was never caught by Asher. Fiona never helped Jonas steal Gabe, actually Jonas had been planning escaping for months. The plan just changed when it was Gabe’s last night and Jonas took him from their dwelling. Also it was a pill not an injection. Lastly the Giver never showed Jonas music. As a conclusion I didn’t love the movie, but it was okay, and I am sorry if you liked the movie cough, cough S, but you need to read or reread the book and you will understand. My final score a 1.
