It's obvious that we as humans enjoy the feeling of clinging to the edge of our seats, having our hearts gallop to our throats, and screaming at characters in movies, “Don't go in the closet!”; Jaws, I Am Legend, and 10th Cloverfield Lane are just a few to name.
When chatter hit social media about YouTube producing it's very first full-length movie, The Thinning, a suspense thriller, no less, people couldn't help but to share their excitement. Even the name sounds ominous.
But unfortunately, The Thinning turned out to be a little “thin” on its plot.
Warning: may contain spoilers!
The Thinning is a science-fiction dystopian thriller set in Austin, Texas in the year 2039. Earth's resources are nearly depleted, resulting in a declaration by the U.N. that all nations must cut their population by 5% every year if they want to survive. Every nation chooses it's “poison of choice” to bring about such reduction. As for the United States, they settle on 10-241, aka, the Thinning.
The Thinning is a mandatory standardized test, which takes place at the end of every school year. All students, from kindergarten to twelfth grade, must take the test. If you fail, you're executed immediately. If you pass, you live to see another school year. If you're one of the lucky few who passes the Thinning with each grade and reaches graduation, you're home free, never to face the Thinning again. But when Laina Michaels, a mastermind in all things education, fails the Thinning in her final school year, she'll question how legitimate the Thinning's grading process really is.
The movie kicks off with a good opener, as we are briefly shown exactly what the Thinning is and the paralyzing grip it has over society. Children dread going to school for fear of failing the annual test, and parents dread sending their children for the same reason – a sensation most everyone can relate to.
Stilted dialogue and plot-holes suck the authenticity out of what could be a terrifying movie. At times, it felt as though the actors were reading from a script, rather than experiencing the horror in real-time. Plot-holes were evident, but for the most part, could be overlooked. For instance, if faced with a real-life scenario of the Thinning, seemingly, most people would evacuate the region whence such brutalities are committed by any means necessary, or if that's not an option, amass together and overthrow the government responsible in hopes of surviving. Sadly, none of the characters even remotely considered an alternative option to the Thinning, but instead, accepted it as absolute law. The writers could have deepened the plot had they entertained the possibility of an escape route, even if the end result was still the same.
But as for the ending, which is arguable the best part of the movie, it was authentic and emotional. Viewers can't help but to sense the character's pain as the inevitable unfolds, resulting in an ending that will leave you stunned silent.
Although I enjoyed The Thinning and would recommend it to someone if they were seeking a film with light suspense and a simple plot, but it's easily perceived that the producers were targeting a younger demographic when developing this story. No matter your age, The Thinning is by no means a complete bore, but for the more mature viewer, it may come off as juvenile and leave behind a slight feeling of dissatisfaction for the ninety minutes spent to watch it.
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