The 5th Wave is an amazing, action-packed film that grabs attention from the start. As a book to movie adaption The 5th Wave does a great job of bringing Rick Yancey’s story to the big screen.

To those who don’t know, The 5th Wave is set in the future after the Others have invaded. The Others need Earth for their own survival, but they want it without humans. In five waves they attempt to eliminate the human race, but they are an enemy that people can’t fight easily since they have human hosts.

The main character, Cassie (Chloe Grace Mortez), has escaped all of the waves so far and is trying to get to her brother, Sam, who was separated from her. Cassie, Ben (Nick Robinson), and Evan (Alex Roe) are all trying to save the humans while also protecting those that they care about, even if it means risking their own life.

The acting in this movie is great, especially Maika Monroe who plays Ringer, a sniper in the same military squad as Ben. Mortez also did a great job  portraying Cassie; viewers almost forgot that they were watching a film instead of actually experiencing an alien invasion.

The effects in The 5th Wave were also impressive. After reading the book, most elements were just as they has been described in the story. When the Others send the second wave (earthquakes that lead to tsunamis, destroying all coastal cities), Cassie and Sam have to climb to safety to escape the flooding lake. This scene had everyone sitting on the edge of their seats and biting their nails as they watched the water tear through the forest.

The only elements that could have made the movie better are the parts that were in the book, but taken out of the film. There are several scenes that did not make the final cut, therefore eliminating a lot of character development and creating rushed relationships between several of the main characters. Some details are even taken out to create the feeling of a love triangle, which exists for the entire movie, but only part of the book. However, other than these changes, there is nothing else that could be fixed to improve the film.

Overall, The 5th Wave was a great movie, but it might not be for everyone. Anyone who has read the book and prefers that the movie adaption be exactly like Yancey’s version of the story might not like it as much as others (even though there weren’t that many differences). It’s a great science-fiction movie that met expectations, maybe even surpassed them. People who like action, aliens, lots of suspense, and/or enjoyed the book, should definitely consider seeing The 5th Wave.