Fiction vs. Fiction (vs. Fiction)- Z for Zachariah (2015)

 A Review 2 Trips in the making.

On my last plane trip, I read about half of the Book (bought in 2021) and finished on my most recent plane trip.

Let's see what is so different between the Book and the Film of the same name...

***VS***

What's the Same?

The Story involves a young woman named Ann who lives in a pleasant Valley after some sort of viral plague seemingly wiped out most of humanity.

A Scientist in a HAZMAT style suit shows up and gets sick when he washes in the river.

When he recovers, the dynamic changes between the 2...

So here is where the big differences lie...

What's Different?

In the 2015 Film, the conflict comes to a head when a third person- Chris Pine- appears.
He's not in the Book.
At all.

They both seem to pine for Ann and begin to work on a project to get power to the Valley via a Water Wheel, but it would mean taking lumber from the Church.
In the Book, there's talk of this- and Ann spending time in Church praying- but that's it.

Most importantly, Ann in the Book IMMEDIATELY rebuffs the man's advances, since she is 16!
The Scientist then proceeds to hunt her and try to keep her around as his wounded, unwilling Bride!

In contrast, the Film has her seemingly in love with both men, but only one (who, again, is not in the Book) is willing and able to.  It is also SUPER vague about her age here!
What a weird change.

The Film has a more open and vague ending, while the Book sets up a Sequel that, to my knowledge, does not exist. 
To be fair, it's Author did die before he finished it.

Where did this love triangle (as well as a minor racial conflict) come from?
Well, that's from a 1959 Film (which predates even the 1974 Book) called The World, The Flesh and the Devil.

That Film has three Survivors- one Black and one Female.  The two men come into conflict, and she has to try and work things out.

Why didn't they just remake that?

Final Thoughts

The Film is good.  In spite of all of the changes and copying from another Film, it tells a good Story.  The combination does work pretty well, to be fair.

The Book would make a good straight adaptation that would play well in the YA Film Market, if that's still thriving in any way.  Is that still a thing?

It would also make a good Mini-Series or TV Movie...which it was in 1984.
I should review that too, huh?

I do recommend the Book for, as usual, more detail and the proper Story.
I can also recommend the Film, but just know that they change ALOT (including the core premise and conflict) for some reason.