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- What Is Lauren Kate’s Fallen About?
- The Acting in Fallen Is Profoundly Bad
- Fallen’s Annoying Plot Changes and Filler Scenes
As a long-time enthusiast of young adult literature adaptations, I must confess that my heart sank upon watching the 2016 film “Fallen”. Having devoured Lauren Kate’s novels with great enthusiasm and anticipation, I found the movie to be a bitter disappointment.
To all young adult book enthusiasts, hang in there! It’s time for a nostalgic trip back to a decade filled with ups and downs. The 2010s were a period when the YA book-to-movie trend really picked up speed, much like how Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games embarked on her journey through the districts. This popular YA adaptation paved the way with its captivating storyline and a fresh take on the relatability of the heroine.
As a cinephile, I find it challenging to fathom that there exists a film as dismal as “The 5th Wave,” with its illogical narrative and the tiresome love triangle that feels more like a cliché than a captivating plot twist. The downward spiral of young adult book-to-film adaptations didn’t halt at Cassie’s puzzling endeavor to rescue her brother (or the entire human race?) within an alien invasion scenario that was oddly underdeveloped.
What Is Lauren Kate’s Fallen About?
16-year-old Lucinda Price is faulted for a friend’s unfortunate demise and sent to the imposing yet somber boarding school, Sword & Cross. There, she encounters solace in her peculiar new companion, Penn, who guides her through the daunting school environment. However, aside from Penn, two other students display interest in Lucinda: Daniel and Cam. One of these boys repels her like an unwanted entity while the other attempts to ensnare her charms.
Beyond finding herself ensnared in a complex romantic dilemma, Luce is persistently tormented by ominous premonitions and looming darkness. As she uncovers the fact that Daniel and Cam have ties to her past and are fallen angels who have always known her, Luce begins to piece together the challenging truths of a history she was previously unaware of. A monumental struggle between heaven and hell looms, potentially tearing apart her true love, compelling her to confront a critical choice.
The Acting in Fallen Is Profoundly Bad
In essence, The Fallen movie delivers memorable performances, however, it falls short of meeting the expectations fans of the novel series had. In fact, quite early in the film, one can’t help but suspect that there might have been some mishap in the acting realm. Whether this was due to a poorly written script or a lack of authenticity in portraying the characters from the book, the actors seem unable to capture the charm that Lauren Kate’s novels evoke on screen.
In a less dynamic performance compared to some other roles she’s taken on, Addison Timlin, playing Lucinda Price in Fallen, seemed to lack a fully-developed character. This observation led many to argue that even Kristen Stewart’s more eccentric portrayal of Bella in Twilight had greater depth than what Timlin managed in Fallen. The same sentiment applies to the two male leads in the film, Jeremy Irvine as Daniel Grigori and Harrison Gilbertson as Cam Briel, who both appeared limited by similar restricted acting abilities.
To put it simply, the acting in the movie “Fallen” makes it a rather tedious, energy-sapping viewing experience. It feels like a frustrating journey where you find yourself reluctantly watching, as events unravel into an increasingly disappointing spectacle. At its best, “Fallen” serves as a nostalgic reminder of Harrison Gilbertson and Jeremy Irvine’s early careers, right before Gilbertson starred in the action thriller “Upgrade” and Irvine took on the role of Young Sam in “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”.
Although it’s undeniably noteworthy that Harrison Gilbertson graced one of the top films in 2023, the Academy Award-winning biopic ‘Oppenheimer’, and Jeremy Irvine is set to star in the much-awaited spinoff ‘Outlander: Blood for my Blood’ playing Claire’s father, Henry Beauchamp, it’s clear that anyone associated with the 2016 ‘Fallen’ movie might secretly wish for any trace of their involvement in that film to vanish from their expanding resumes.
Fallen’s Annoying Plot Changes and Filler Scenes
To fans of Lauren Kate’s novel series, the Fallen movie falls short on numerous aspects. A frequent problem with questionable book-to-movie adaptations is the significant alteration of plot points, such as the introduction of Luce and Penn. In the book, they meet in a significant way, when someone mocks Luce in the cafeteria and dumps meatloaf on her head. While she cleans up in the bathroom, supportive Penn appears and empathizes with her. This moment is crucial as it sets the tone for their entire friendship and Luce’s social standing at school. However, the movie overlooks these key details, instead placing Luce in an embarrassing situation where everyone sees her, including potential romantic interests, and failing to establish a deep bond between Luce and Penn.
Generally speaking, the film is packed with unnecessary scenes that don’t contribute significantly to the main storyline or seem illogical. It’s questionable why scenes showing students learning fencing were included in a movie about dangerous teenagers, especially since they are required to relinquish anything that could potentially be used as a weapon. The inconsistency is intriguing, to say the least. Furthermore, crucial moments are overextended, making the film seem unduly prolonged. Add to this an excessive use of blinding lights and tedious dialogue, poor editing, and you get a book-to-movie adaptation that could have been improved: the Fallen movie.
In the end, it’s not surprising that Fallen garnered just 7% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the high anticipation for the film due to the popularity of Lauren Kate’s novel series, unfortunately, Fallen falls short and is essentially a poorly executed imitation of Twilight, missing the mark in delivering a compelling Young Adult adaptation. You can rent Fallen on Prime Video and AppleTV.
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2024-10-12 04:03