Netflix’s New 4-Part Adaptation Of Classic 72-Year-Old Thriller Novel Is Harshly Dividing Audiences & Critics On Rotten Tomatoes

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Netflix’s new adaptation of a classic novel has critics and audiences swarming to opposite sides.

Many of Netflix’s hit shows are adapted from popular books. These include romance series Bridgerton (based on Julia Quinn’s novels), the fantasy adventure The Witcher (from Andrzej Sapkowski’s books), the thriller You (based on Caroline Kepnes’ novels), the drama Virgin River (inspired by Robyn Carr’s novels), and the miniseries The Queen’s Gambit (based on Walter Tevis’ novel). Recently, Netflix released a new adaptation of a 72-year-old book, and it’s sparking a lot of debate among viewers.

The new TV adaptation of William Golding’s classic novel, Lord of the Flies, just premiered on Netflix and is sparking strong reactions. The series tells the story of a group of schoolboys stranded on a tropical island after a plane crash. They try to create a functioning society, but quickly descend into chaos and rebellion.

Now available on Netflix, the new series based on Lord of the Flies is receiving positive reviews, with a 94% ‘Certified Fresh’ rating from critics. However, audience scores are lower at 54%. These scores are based on a relatively small number of reviews (33 from critics and over 50 from viewers), so they are likely to change as more people share their opinions.

Matthew Rudoy of ScreenRant gave Lord of the Flies a 9 out of 10 rating, calling it a nearly flawless adaptation and praising its ability to recapture the chilling impact of the original novel. He then elaborates:

Jack Thorne, known for co-creating the series Adolescence, has created a compelling and true-to-the-source adaptation of Lord of the Flies. Rather than updating or changing the story, Thorne’s miniseries stays close to the original novel, focusing on its intense psychological suspense and the complex relationships between the characters.

Critics are largely positive about Netflix’s Lord of the Flies, noting it adds thoughtful new layers to William Golding’s original story. The film is particularly praised for its talented young cast and its ability to captivate audiences.

Viewers seem less disappointed with the series’ plot and more bothered by how it was made. While the young actors receive a lot of positive feedback for their strong performances, many found the music distracting, the camera work overdone, the visuals artificial, and the overall presentation unfocused.

However, reviewers tend to praise the film’s meaningful themes and unique take on childhood and disorder. This creates a divide – people either appreciate the film as a work of art, or find its style disruptive and hard to enjoy.

The series stars Winston Sawyers, Lox Pratt, David McKenna, Ike Talbut, Thomas Connor, Noah Flemyng, Cassius Flemyng, Cornelius Brandreth, Tom Page-Turner, Rafael de Belligny, Lake Coleman, Freddie Lee-Grey, Beau Thompson, Fred Jones, Rory Kinnear, Rochelle Neil, Daniel Mays, and Tom Goodman-Hill. It was created and written by Jack Thorne, and directed by Marc Munden.

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2026-05-04 22:38