Lord Of The Flies 1990 doesn’t have a great reputation, but its an underrated adaptation of the novel. Lord Of The Flies was published in 1954 and was written by author William Golding, and while it wasn’t initially much of a success, it soon became regarded as a literary classic. The story involves a group of British schoolchildren who are marooned on an uninhabited island. With no adult supervision, they attempt to conduct themselves in a civilized way, but some revert to more primal and savage ways.
Lord Of The Flies is a chilling read even today, exploring how quickly civilization can melt away and the dangers of groupthink. The book has also been the inspiration for everything from Battle Royale to Madagascar and even The Simpsons’ episode “Das Bus.” The first film adaptation came with 1963’s Lord Of The Flies, a black and white version directed by Peter Brook. Some changes aside, this adaptation is mostly faithful to the novel and is considered a great movie in its own right.
The second version came with 1990’s Lord Of The Flies, which changed the story somewhat to have American military cadets being the ones stranded on the island. Balthazar Getty (Twin Peaks: The Return) plays Ralph, the boy who tries to keep order among the cadets, with James Badge Dale (World War Z) co-starring as the ill-fated Simon. This version strayed further from the book, receiving a mixed critical response and the movie’s screenwriter even taking her name off it.
While Lord Of The Flies 1990 has its flaws, it’s still a solid movie. The young actors - especially Getty and Chris Furrh as Jack - do great work, and it has a heavy, oppressive feel. There’s a pervading sense of doom to the story, and while it lacks the subtlety found in the novel, it still captures many of its disturbing themes. The increased profanity and violence, including the bloody death of “Piggy,” also give this version a harsher edge to its 1963 counterpart.
Lord Of The Flies 1990 is much better than its reputation suggests and fans of the book who have been put off by its reception should give it a chance. Suspiria 2018 director Luca Guadagnino is said to be developing a new remake of Lord Of The Flies, while 2018’s Ladyworld is an all-female version of the concept, where a group of teenage friends are trapped in a house following an earthquake and soon slip into insanity; Maya Hawke (Stranger Things) and Annalise Basso starred in the film.
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