‘Fahrenheit 451’ Movie Review: What We Could All Fearfully Turn Into

Fahrenheit 451 takes us to a time where it is illegal to have, read, or speak of knowledge. Based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Ray Bradbury, the film shows the firemen responsible for the disposal of books or any literary material. The movie focuses on the story of Guy Montag (Michael B. Jordan), a young fireman who starts to remember his tragic past when he meets a girl named Clarisse (Sofia Boudella), a freedom fighter or an “Eel.” Eels are people who have been stripped of their digital identity and are exiled to Talay City, a place with little technology. Montag’s commanding officer and mentor, Captain Beatty (Michael Shannon) then notices Montag’s strange behavior, which ultimately ends in a faceoff between the two men.

Master Trooper Guy Montag

HBO

A rising star at the peak of his career. Guy Montag is the 451 Fire station’s Master Trooper, on his way to being promoted as their new captain. The missions he participates in triggers a series of memory recalls. These memory recalls have him reflect on what his purpose in his career. His defection from the fire brigade was ultimately caused by his meeting with an Eel, a woman named Clarisse. His decision was fatal to both his career and his life. In the end, his sacrifice would be the spark that starts the flame of the revolution.

Clarisse McClellan

HBO

Clarisse was born as an Eel by her Eel parents but was raised as a native, a ‘regular citizen,’ to infiltrate their ranks. After running away from her family, she tries to start her own life but ends up under the influence of the 9, or the internet. After experiencing desperate times, Clarisse goes back to her origins by dealing graffiti, or books, music, paintings, and literary materials, to live. She eventually finds herself in the middle of the fight between the firemen and the Eel, and while she starts to look out for herself at first, she joins the other Eels who pay for the ultimate price of freedom in the end.

Captain Beatty

HBO

Captain Beatty was a stern man who was dedicated to his branch of service. Having served with Guy Montag’s father, Beatty takes it upon himself to be a mentor and father figure to the orphaned child, who years later becomes a fireman just like his father. While he may have some moments in which he questions the facts that have been taught to him and everyone else, he has resolved not to let this get in the way of his line of work. When Montag defects, this has a massive blow to his career, and he becomes consumed by rage and disappointment.

The Good

The movie begins with an introduction of the characters and their respective roles. The society is portrayed as a technological and duty-free world. The natives’ needs are taken care of by Yuxie,  an assistant similar to Amazon’s Alexa. Also, the natives are immersed in social media like feeds in their homes, where anything can be used as their screen. Guy Montag is portrayed as a sort of a celebrity, having his missions broadcast everywhere in real-time. The convenience of technology brought about by numerous innovations has become essential in living in this period. Also, celebrities have become the gist of the information we select instead of things that actually really matter. This can be seen as an attack to what our modern-day society has become.

Another issue that has been shown in the movie would be the flaws in the justice system. The Eels were never given a fair trial, and the final verdict on their destinies would be given on the spot. However, no one criticizes the government as long as it was not their life on the line. There may be only two labels that are present in this age, but the difference in the two could mean the life or death of any individual.

The Bad

Michael Shannon’s character, Captain Beatty, was given the least in character development. This made him appear like cliche villain, after nothing but his own way. Also, a battle between the Eels and the Firemen would have been something interesting to see. However, the movie only retained the Eels’ abused and hopeless role. It seemed as if they had no chance at all, except for the Omnis ‘virus’. The ending of the movie was quite vague, so we would never know who was successful in the end.

Fahrenheit 451: Final Verdict

Fahrenheit 451 is a great movie to be shown especially to young adults. With themes of heroism, tragedy, and a slight tinge of romance, Fahrenheit 451 would be suitable for young adult audiences looking for something different from what most new movies portray, but still relatable enough to leave a good impression.