Stephen King’s 2019 thriller, The Institute, has been adapted into an MGM+ series, and Benjamin Cavell’s take is as faithful as it gets. The show follows a group of children who are kidnapped by a mysterious organization for seemingly malevolent purposes, mirroring King’s own Firestarter and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. However, like its source material, it struggles to bring anything new to the table.
The series focuses on 14-year-old Jake Ellis, a child prodigy who is taken from his home and forced to attend The Institute, a facility that experiments on pre-adults with telekinetic or telepathic abilities. Despite the show’s ominous atmosphere and intriguing plot twists, it ultimately feels like a rehashing of familiar supernatural territory.
The performances are lackluster, particularly from the new cast members, which weighs down the series. The visuals are equally uninspiring, with flat action that fails to elevate the narrative. While the show captures King’s theme of the ends justifying the means, it lacks the necessary spark to make it truly memorable.
Overall, The Institute is a middle-of-the-road adaptation that feels like reheated leftovers from the best-selling novel upon which it’s based. Despite its weaknesses, it still manages to convey the eerie mood and themes present in King’s work, making it a passable entry into the ever-growing catalog of King-to-screen adaptations.
Source: https://www.thedailybeast.com/obsessed/the-institute-new-stephen-king-series-pits-psychics-against-psychos