Writing this directly after ejecting the DVD, which in turn is about 4 days after reading the book, I can't say much more than what has been said on both sides. The book was excellent... as good as expected, and I read the "casebook" version, with all the critiques and interviews at the end. I found the boys they picked to be the lead characters to be very well-selected, except that Jack should've been Ralph and vice versa. In the book, it is Ralph that is tall, fair and well-built. The film didn't harken on much of the deep symbolism that the book unleashes on the reader, as is mentioned with the absence of Simon's conversation with the Lord of the Flies. Simon is a MAIN character to the whole spiritual presence in the story's purpose, him being a Christ-like figure, killed as he is bringing good news (to the tribe that the "monster" is only a dead man). Jack is the Satan, or devil, and in the book is the leader of a choir, not an officer in the cadets. It seemed as if the director couldn't get British boys to play in the film, so made them American cadets, had them curse and be ticked-off, and put Marines to rescue them instead of the British Navy. I loved little things in the book like calling the twins "Samneric" (Sam and Eric), and the littler boys, "littluns". There is no reference to this in the film. Substituting the pilot for the parachutist works out fine for viewers that didn't read the book, and I thought both Piggy and Simon's deaths were adequately portrayed. In all, not a bad translation, but I thought that more could've been done to accurately depict the book's intent. The movie is only 90 minutes long, and another 30 minutes of say, Simon's mystical experiences, and Roger's transformation to executioner would've played well. I guess I'm off to get the '63 version now...
Review of Lord of the Flies
