“The Giver” is a fantasy based on a dystopian society whose communities and their residents are controled by the Committee of Elders whose goal is to rid the community of chaos.

A young teen named Jonas is unaware that he has been chosen to become the Receiver, the recipient of the community’s memories. Only one person in this society has memories of the past.

Every year students’ jobs are chosen for them at the Ceremony. Jonas struggles to find his rightful place as the Ceremony draws nearer.

As he spends time with the Giver, Jonas begins to be exposed to the disturbing and lethal past. However, the knowledge and memories add color and dimension to the colorless world that Jonas now lives in. He becomes more aware of the world outside of what the Elders tell him.

Citizens in the community take daily injections to eliminate their emotions. When Jonas decides to forgo the shots,  he intentionally denies the information the elders give him. Without the injections Jonas begins to feel more and see the world as it really is.

The situation grows graver when Jonas realizes that he must go to great extent to liberate others under the community’s authority.

Although “The Giver” is similar to other dystopian stories, it lacks much of the violence found in trilogies, such as “The Hunger Games” or “Divergent.”  However, it still asks viewers to think of  where they belong and their roles in society and whether or not perfection is a legitimate goal.

“The Giver” originally begins in black and white; as the movie progresses and Jonas learns more about the past, certain objects are gradually shown in color. Rather than this being inconvenient, it helps the audience better understand the characters and their lives.

Despite the slower pace the movie was insightful. The focus of “The Giver” is on Jonas’ psychological struggle rather than a brutal, action-packed encounters.

This movie is recommended for age 11 and older due to its limited violence. Viewers will be moved by Jonas’ journey as well as enlightened by his willingness to defy authority and societal norms in the pursuit of knowledge.