Movie Poster

To be in the minority of one does not make you mad.

# Review

It is fitting that in the year 1984, a film version of the seminal novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is released. The story follows Winston Smith (John Hurt), a citizen of the Dystopian nation of Oceania, where every aspect of a citizen’s life is controlled by the all-powerful Party. Winston falls in love with Julia (Suzanna Hamilton) and their romance is a direct rebellion against the Party.

1984 is one of the most impactful novels I’ve read in high school and the film perfectly captures the essence of the book. The film’s faithfulness to the source material manifests itself in the environment and cinematography, which are bleak, dreary, and almost dream-like. The script is also closely tied to the book, with many of the book’s memorable quotes included in the film. Even the casting, such as Hurt’s frail and coughing Winston and Gregor Fisher’s rosy and almost cherub-like Parsons, are very accurate according to the book. Hurt and Hamilton’s Winston and Julia are fantastic and I also enjoyed Richard Burton’s final big screen performance as the mysterious and austere O’Brien. The pacing is a tad slow and the editing can be a bit better in including more pivotal scenes. It feels almost as if the movie is made for people who have read the book.

# Conclusion

A very accurate portrayal of the book, but I'd read the book before watching the film.

# Overall rating: 7.5

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