Lord of the Flies (Netflix)

By: Dave Hughes

For decades, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies has been a foundational pillar of the language arts classroom, haunting the syllabi of high school English departments worldwide. Yet, while the novel remains a permanent fixture of adolescent education, its cinematic history has been surprisingly thin, failing to produce a definitive adaptation that matches the visceral impact of the source material. That drought ends with the latest high value BBC production, now streaming on Netflix. By finally leaning into the novel's inherent grimness, this version bridges the gap between a required reading assignment and a masterclass in psychological horror to the delight of high school students everywhere.

The limited series stays surprisingly true to the novel. Most know the story: a group of boys on a trip crash lands on a deserted island. Left with no adults or supervision, the boys must develop their own society and rules with what the island provides. It is a tale that has inspired many current shows in the television landscape, such as Lost and Yellowjackets. What is most surprising about this adaptation is how the limited series  embraces its horror roots. Toward the end of the series, it becomes a truly disturbing take on the story and one which may surprise many viewers. Creator Jack Thorne (Adolescence) is the architect of this remake and leans into the book's darker elements. Although all the narrative points are there from  Golding’s novel, there are moments where the series feels like it is a more modern retelling of the story due to its violence, however, like the book, the time period is never clearly identified. 

What makes this version of Lord of the Flies work is how talented the young cast is, despite being virtual unknowns to most audiences. Each character has an episode dedicated to their story. David McKenna (Narnia) is the focus of the first episode as Piggy. McKenna’s portrayal of the tragic character is heartbreaking at times while also showing the audience a figure who they can see slowly unravel. Thorne also adds more detailed backstories for many of the boys. These backstories provide audiences with a clear identity of motivations as well as empathy for their actions. Another standout is Lox Pratt (Harry Potter) whose take on power hungry Jack will surprise some viewers in terms of its depravity and darkness. 

Lord of the Flies is a show where location is essential. Shot primarily in Malaysia, the program does an excellent job of fully immersing you in the setting with some visually remarkable locations. The boys slowly decline into delusions, Thorne leans into a more vibrant color palette to show their descent. As the boys begin to hallucinate, the show features more yellows and pinks to show their hysteria. In the first episode, Thorne uses close ups on each boy's face to show their innocence and also show how much they change over the course of the series. 

Target Score: 8/10: Lord of the Flies is the series that the book deserves. It still keeps characters who they are while also adding a backstory and growth for those who need it. By allowing  William Golding’s novel to light the way, Thorne creates a version fully aligned with its source material. It is a rare adaptation that manages to honor the literary weight of its origins while embracing the visual and visceral potential of modern television.