Many people know Stephanie Mayer as the author of the world-famous bestselling book Twilight. However, this is far from the only book in the bibliography of the writer that deserves attention - in 2008, her science fiction novel "Guest" was released, which almost immediately became a bestseller. Already in 2011, active work began on its film adaptation.
Film production
Casting for the new film based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer began in 2011. The young actress Saoirse Ronan, known to most viewers in the movie Cute Bones, was approved for the role of Melanie / Wanderer in the film Guest. Actors Max Irons, William Hurt and Diana Krueger also received roles in the film. Max Irons played Jared - a guy in love with Melanie, who in every possible way resists the invasion of Souls and longs to return the Earth to ordinary people.
The selection of actors was personally led by Stephanie Mayer, the author of the literary source.
Jake Abel got the role of Ian, one of the inhabitants of the colony, who in every way helps the Wanderer.
Other cast members of the film Guest, Emily Browning and Francis Fisher, have been cast in the supporting roles. Emily Browning, the star of the films Lemony Snicket: 33 Misfortunes, Uninvited, and Sleeping Beauty, appears in the role of a girl who did not recover from extracting Soul. Francis Fisher embodied the image of Maggie Strider on the screen.
Until November 2011, the casting of the film "Guest" lasted. Actors Scott Lawrence and Rachel Roberts got small roles in the film.
The director of the film was Andrew Niccol, who had previously worked on the fantastic Gattaka thriller, the drama The Truman Show and the gunsmith Baron.
The soundtrack for the film was written by the famous composer Antonio Pinto.
In early 2012, in Louisiana began shooting the picture "Guest". Actors and roles by that time were selected, the latest improvements to the script were completed.
The film was released in world distribution in March 2013.
Plot
On Earth, everything is perfect - there is no crime, lies, cruelty, people do not fight each other. But this ideal place is no longer the planet of people - Souls, aliens from outer space, arrived on Earth and occupied the bodies of almost all people. Souls do not have human emotions, passions and desires. Small groups of survivors hide in the mountains, hoping that the nightmare will someday end.
The soul, nicknamed the Wanderer, occupies the body of Melanie. But this girl is not ready to part with her mind and body, therefore she is in every way opposed to the Wanderer. The better she recognizes Melanie, the more sympathetic to people.
Criticism
The new fantastic project from the creator of “Twilight” did not arouse the enthusiasm of the critics - they gave the film low ratings, citing the fact that the film touched on many topics, several storylines intertwined, but some of them could not be fully disclosed.
The actors involved in the film "Guest" were not awarded any awards or nominations for film awards. For them, this film did not become a breakthrough in his acting career, because, contrary to expectations, he did not receive the fame of Twilight. Most of the critics liked the novel by Stephanie Meyer much more than his film adaptation.
For the director Andrew Niccol, the film "Guest" also did not become the most successful film of his career - commercially, his previous project "Time" was much more successful.
The reaction of the audience to the film "Guest" was not as categorical as the reviews of critics. Many fans of the work of Stephanie Meyer and Saoirse Ronan liked the picture. In general, the film received mixed reviews from viewers.
Box office
Despite the fact that critics defeated the film "Guest", the actors who played the main roles allowed the picture to cut off the forty-million budget. Thanks to the participation in the project of Saoirse Ronan, Emily Browning, William Hurt and Max Irons, the film raised $ 58 million at the box office.