The 5th Wave

An ordinary high school girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) finds her world torn asunder when aliens invade Earth, pursuing a methodical plan for exterminating humanity. Adapted by Susannah Grant, Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner from Rick Yancey’s novel, and directed (decently, if with little distinction) by J Blakeson, the movie begins as a novel twist on the alien-invasion formula, with a tough, determined performance from Moretz. Then it tips its hand, and our disappointment is palpable: Damn, it’s just another Hunger Games/Divergent/Maze Runner clone, with the heroine torn between two lovers (Nick Robinson, Alex Roe) and joining a desperate Resistance made up of bravely hard-boiled teenagers. The book was the first of a series, naturally, so at least we know what Moretz will be up to for the next few years. J.L.