Attwoods novel truly is one of the alltime great novels, illustrating that a populist movement can easily take over a democratic nation and enslave its people. She also shows that the USA could easily fall into that trap, it is only the peoples vigilance in monitoring political motives that keeps it safe. It is this EXTREMELY valuable lesson that makes the novel great.
Those who know the novel will already know the the real meat of the story lies in the final chapter. Offred is shown to be a relative nonenity, just of of many as she disappears leaving behind only diary to be discovered years later. It is the analysis of this story that is the real meat of the book. How corrupt powermongers use religion and fear to bamboozle populations into supporting their takeover, and enslavement. And nothing of the mass murders. And of how the USA could easily fall into this trap.
This films hardly tries to do justice. It just shows Offreds story trimmed of anything worthwhile. If this is your thing, then there is plenty of better versions out there. I offer 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' & 'The Diary of Anne Frank' as examples. Both based on real situations where populist movements turned a democracy into a monstrous dictatorship. Or even READ Attwoods novel. But don't bother with this crap.
Those who know the novel will already know the the real meat of the story lies in the final chapter. Offred is shown to be a relative nonenity, just of of many as she disappears leaving behind only diary to be discovered years later. It is the analysis of this story that is the real meat of the book. How corrupt powermongers use religion and fear to bamboozle populations into supporting their takeover, and enslavement. And nothing of the mass murders. And of how the USA could easily fall into this trap.
This films hardly tries to do justice. It just shows Offreds story trimmed of anything worthwhile. If this is your thing, then there is plenty of better versions out there. I offer 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' & 'The Diary of Anne Frank' as examples. Both based on real situations where populist movements turned a democracy into a monstrous dictatorship. Or even READ Attwoods novel. But don't bother with this crap.