You’re about to get the scoop on a paradox: a movie that combines the imaginative thrill of a sci-fi with a box office failure.  Although The Darkest Minds made less revenue than its 2018 competitors, the adaptation of Alexandra Bracken’s novel is an entertaining cinematic experience.  Its captivating plot is full of new conflicts at every turn, and the talented actors succeed in creating laughter, suspense, and heartache.  If you’re looking for a new dystopian adventure, you’ll it in one of summer 2018’s best pictures, which was released to DVD on Oct. 30.

At the beginning of the movie, main character Ruby Daly (Amandla Stenberg) is taken to a rehabilitation camp at the age of ten after a sudden disease outbreak kills over 90% of all children in the world.  The survivors gain powerful abilities that the world’s governments come to view as threats. The children are taken into camps and assigned a color based on their powers.

Ruby teams up with a group of runaways, including Liam (Harris Dickinson), Zu (Miya Cech), and Chubs (Skylan Brooks).  As they escape threats from their government captors, the suspicious Children’s League, and other possibly dangerous runaways, Ruby is torn between keeping her dangerous powers a secret and the urge to return home and see her parents.  She and her friends search for the rumored safe haven of the legendary orange “slip kid.” During their journey, Ruby grows closer to her three companions.

The Darkest Minds poses an interesting question much like the one raised by the skirmish in The Lord of the Flies: Can children peacefully live without adults and avoid anarchy?  Since any adult could be a threat, Ruby and the others have to work together to establish strong bonds as well as participate in a larger settlement to escape the dangerous government officials.  Ruby, Zu, Chubs, and Liam form relationships that they never would have had, if not for the ongoing conflicts. As they travel the deserted world, viewers are faced with intriguing, post-apocalyptic scenes in a run-down gas station, a shopping mall, and a motel.  Along with the charming old minivan that the group uses for shelter and transportation, what is not to like about this interesting dystopia?

I do have a complaint about one character.  Ruby and her friends face the child-hunter Lady Jane, who ruthlessly takes aim and fires at any runaway she sees.  Her role and mission is solely to kill. The writers seem to have given her no other purpose besides adding another annoying problem to the pile of conflicts that the characters already have to deal with. It’s a bit much.

The Darkest Minds definitely pulls through with a rating of five out of five telekinetic surges.  The trailer easily got my attention, and seeing the action-packed unfolding of events was like waiting to arrive at the top of your favorite roller coaster.  I do not have any serious issues with the movie, so I would recommend it to anyone who can handle some violence, language, and the wild excitement of a futuristic venture.  Whether you’re a green, blue, gold, orange, or red, you’ll have a hard time escaping the allure of this year’s darkest sci-fi.