Fahrenheit 451 (2018)

2018 | Sci-Fi

101 mins Canada

In the future, after a second civil war, most reading in America is confined to the Internet, called "the 9," and most books are banned and ordered to be burned by the "firemen" who are part of the Ministry, a fascist dictatorship that blames unhappiness, mental illness, and conflicting opinions on reading the "wrong" literature. Guy Montag, a firefighter, goes about his work without question, believing that by following in his father's footsteps he is serving and protecting society. All this changes when he meets an informant named Clarisse, who makes him challenge his actions and convictions by sharing with him some of the real history of America and the rise of the Ministry. When he finally decides to rebel and understand how the "Eels" (book-reading outcasts) read, he comes to a realization - he now wants to read as well. Montag decides to help a rebel who has a plan to reproduce their information through animals. This rebel group encoded books into a bird's DNA so that it can live on and survive the efforts of the firemen.

Montag is confronted by Captain Beatty and finds himself on the run, eventually connecting with a group of Eels. The Eels' house is discovered by the firemen; Montag finds the bird and places a transponder inside it so that it can find its way to scientists in Canada. Captain Beatty confronts him and attempts to stop him, but allows the bird to fly away. After Montag releases the bird, Beatty burns him alive in a fit of rage. The starling makes it to Canada, and joins with an immense flock of other starlings.