Apparently some critics didn’t like the 5th Wave. It currently has a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is abysmally low. In a genre that is often hit or miss, that can cause a lot of you to pass on the movie. Don’t.
I’m going to tell you something you probably already know: most critics are stupid. They do not hold the same values that fans of the genre do. And in this case, they are leading you astray.
The 5th Wave is a must-see if you like post apocalyptic action. It isn’t a perfect movie, but the good easily outweighs the bad.
At some point in the first half hour of watching the 5th Wave, you’ll realize that this movie is legit. It isn’t cheesy. It doesn’t candy-coat the apocalypse. It has good actors and teases you with mystery. It’s a fun ride.
The idea of a preemptive alien attack has rarely been done better. You really get the feeling that the aliens are smart and formidable. They have a plan, but they are not invincible.
So why don’t critics like it? Well, it seems that some of them are simply tired of this genre. Many of them point out similarities to Hunger Games or Divergent – completely unaware, it seems, that some of us liked Hunger Games. Others felt disappointed with the ending – and on that point I’ll reluctantly agree.
The resolution left many of us feeling unsatisfied. It was somewhat abrupt and left some important unanswered questions. That shouldn’t be surprising, however, when you consider that it was based on the first book in a trilogy. Nevertheless, I wasn’t pleased with tone the final scene took. It still felt much more satisfying than, say, Snowpiercer’s finale.
The movie could also have used another 20 minutes or so of character development. One character in particular was shrouded in mystery, but ended up playing a major part in the resolution. Going deeper into that character would have made the ending more satisfying. I would also have appreaciated a bit more development of the combat squad. That is a tricky formula that even Ender’s Game got wrong, so I’ll let the 5th Wave pass for not getting it quite right.
In the end, I was glad to have watched this movie. If there is a sequel, I will watch that too. It strikes a chord very much like Falling Skies, and it shows a lot of promise for rising to that level in subsequent installments.
How to Stream The Movie
Watch the 5th Wave now on Amazon Prime Video.
How to Read the Book
Some people believe the book is better. Those people are usually right.
Check out The Fifth Wave, the first book in the Fifth Wave Series, here.
