By Spencer Schneier, Staff Writer

Published in print Sept. 3, 2014

For a film that prides itself on promoting individualism, it is a disappointing reality that The Giver conforms to the norms of recent dystopia films.

Instead of providing a fresh, original view into the human condition, it instead offers trite and overly simplistic commentary on the power of the individual.

In this “utopia,” no one has any difference from anyone else and there is no conflict. People cannot lie, they cannot love and they cannot feel pain. The Elders, the oldest members of society, make all of the decisions for people’s professions, and what society can and cannot do. The Giver, the person who remembers all of the emotions of the past, advises them when they are unable to handle a certain situation.

The plot follows Jonas, a boy who is approaching his promotion to the working force. He is lined up, along with the rest of his class in front of the entire community. They are all given their future jobs, but Jonas is skipped over. After much suspense, it is explained that he will become the next-in-line to become The Giver, the highest honor that can be bestowed in this society.

Given a barren script, without much character development or much of a meaningful plot, director Phillip Noyce effectively develops underlying themes and makes points ancillary to the book.

His first, and most obvious tool is the usage of color. The film begins black and white, with our protagonist only occasionally seeing things in color. The only color that the film contains is in people’s eyes.  After the protagonist begins his training, he begins to see more color and the film transitions to more color as he learns the highs and lows of the real world.

Other effects include the usage of fast-paced montage and the usage of abnormal camera angles. This effect is up for interpretation, but the scenes in which it is used suggest that, as the film reminds us, things cannot be “black and white.” What the director appears to be driving home is the complexity of the differing viewpoints and perspectives on the world, which conformity does not encourage.

Beyond anything complex or meaningful is the cameo appearance of Taylor Swift as the daughter of The Giver, which definitely caused some confusion as to the casting choice. While it may just be a stunt for Swift, her character is a talented musician (music is not allowed in this society) which may have been the choice of an icon like Swift for the role.

In an age of dystopian films being the norm, The Giver fails to stand out. An interesting concept mired in a phase of dystopia movies is lost in the quagmire of Hunger Games-ian mess.