The Darkest Minds (2018)
Kernel Score: 78% · 2,905 ratings · Rated PG-13
Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama
Released: 2018-07-25
Runtime: 105 minutes
Is The Darkest Minds worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A teen sci-fi chase about young people with powers on the run. It has a decent hook and some good moments, but it follows the familiar young-adult template and rarely surprises.
Watch it if you
- like young-adult dystopias
- enjoy teens-on-the-run stories
- want an easy sci-fi action watch
Skip it if you
- want an original or deep story
- dislike teen romance subplots
Best for: Easy night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Darkest Minds
- Stream: Cinemax Apple TV channel
- Rent: Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
After a disease kills 98% of America's children, the surviving 2% develop superpowers and are placed in internment camps. A 16-year-old girl escapes her camp and joins a group of other teens on the run from the government.
The Darkest Minds parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that this YA dystopian film depicts children with superpowers held in government internment camps after a plague kills most kids.
- Violence & scariness: Moderate — Involves a deadly disease, internment camps, and teens on the run from armed authorities.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Darkest Minds
If you liked The Darkest Minds, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) — 84%: The stronger young-adult dystopian sequel
- Logan (2017) — 88%: Much darker road story about powered people on the run
- X2 (2003) — 80%: Mutants hunted by the government
- X-Men (2000) — 80%: The film that started the mutant-outcast story
- Alita: Battle Angel (2019) — 80%: Teen-friendly sci-fi action with a heart
Director
Jennifer Yuh Nelson
Cast
- Amandla Stenberg as Ruby Daly
- Harris Dickinson as Liam Stewart
- Patrick Gibson as Clancy Gray
- Skylan Brooks as Charles 'Chubs' Meriwether
- Mandy Moore as Cate Connor
- Miya Cech as Suzume
- Mark O'Brien as Rob Meadows
- Gwendoline Christie as Lady Jane
- Grace DeAmicis as Grace Somerfield
- Faye Foley as Sam Dahl
The Darkest Minds FAQ
Is The Darkest Minds worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A teen sci-fi chase about young people with powers on the run. It has a decent hook and some good moments, but it follows the familiar young-adult template and rarely surprises.
Where can I watch The Darkest Minds?
In the US you can stream The Darkest Minds on Cinemax Apple TV channel and rent it from Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango At Home.
Is The Darkest Minds OK for kids?
The Darkest Minds is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that this YA dystopian film depicts children with superpowers held in government internment camps after a plague kills most kids.
What movies are like The Darkest Minds?
If you liked The Darkest Minds, try The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Logan, X2 and X-Men.