Though there has been a surplus of YA novels being adapted for the big screen, from the hits like Twilight and Divergent to the misses like Vampire Academy and The Mortal Instruments, don’t count out Sony Pictures’ upcoming The 5th Wave, based on Rick Yancey’s novel of the same name. Sure, there’s a love triangle (sort of) at its center, but anyone who’s read Yancey’s novel can attest to the fact that The 5th Wave is way, way better than most of the books that end up on the road to the big screen. Personally, it’s my favorite YA novel since Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.
There’s reason to believe that the film adaptation of The 5th Wave will also be way better than most recent YA adaptations. It stars the tremendously talented Chloë Grace Moretz as Cassie, a human survivor of a decimating alien attack on Earth. Cassie has survived the invasion by adhering to one simple rule: trust no one. However, her nomadic existence is threatened when it becomes apparent that her brother Sammy might still be alive, and she comes into contact with Evan Walker, a beguiling and untrustworthy individual capable of helping her to rescue her brother.
Yancey’s book was a real page-turner, filled with thrilling developments and genuinely interesting characters. I’m very excited to see Moretz take on the role of Cassie, and that Nick Robinson and Alex Roe have been cast in major supporting roles also bodes well for the film.
Another factor that The 5th Wave has going for it is that Sony Pictures doesn’t appear to be rushing it into theaters. Today, it was revealed that the film has been set for release in January of 2016. That’s a while away, but hopefully the time that director J. Blakeson now has will result in a high-quality film.
Blakeson’s last directorial gig, The Disappearance of Alice Creed, was a terrifically twisty nail-biter, so if he can bring that same kind of tension to this project, The 5th Wave is already in terrific shape.
The 5th Wave opens on January 29th, 2016.
