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Klara and the Sun, Waititi's Ishiguro adaptation, premieres at London Film Festival to poor reviews

Taika Waititi's adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Klara and the Sun, starring Jenna Ortega and Amy Adams, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival. The reviews covered here are largely negative; the Daily Mail covered the red carpet.

5 outlets · 2L · 2C · 1R First reported Account updated
Image: The Independent
Image: Screen Rant
Image: Daily Mail
Image: The Guardian

1 / 4

The story, neutrally told

Mixed · 2Taika Waititi's film Klara and the Sun, adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro's 2021 novel, premiered at the BFI London Film Festival on Thursday 15 October 2026. Mixed · 2Jenna Ortega plays Klara, a robot "Artificial Friend" bought as a companion for Josie (Mia Tharia), a seriously ill teenager, by her mother Chrissie (Amy Adams); the cast also includes Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi, Rachel House and Aran Murphy. Mixed · 3The film is set in a retrofuturistic dystopia where, according to reviewers, the internet has been taken away after a world war and genetic "lifting" has divided society into classes. It opens in cinemas on 23 October.

Centre · 3The three reviews covered here, from Deadline, The Independent and Screen Rant, are all negative. Each says the film falls short of Ishiguro's novel and of Waititi's earlier work. Centre · 1Deadline's Damon Wise calls it a "curiously flat" and "sporadically funny" comedy-drama. He says it fails to capture the subtleties of literary sci-fi, as Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go did, and that its plot is "face-palmingly obvious". Left · 1The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey argues that the film's jokes fill the space Ishiguro left between sentences, and that the film is faithful to the book's concepts but states them early and explicitly. She says it swaps the book's central question of who we fundamentally are for "the power of love and friendship", which she calls a downgrade.

Centre · 1Screen Rant's Ben Gibbons calls it a "ham-fisted sci-fi comedy with a hollow message" and says Waititi "was not the right choice for this story". He says the ending feels rushed and wooden. Centre · 3Reviewers differ on Jenna Ortega. Deadline calls her "a fantastic cheerleader" for the film's early spirit, and Screen Rant says she gives a solid performance despite a weak screenplay. The Independent says her "cartoon character bounce" replaces the subtlety of playing a robot, and it headlines the film as another misfire for her, Amy Adams and Waititi. Centre · 1Screen Rant also praises Mia Tharia's performance as Josie, the score and the visuals.

Right · 1The Daily Mail did not review the film. It reported on the premiere red carpet, led by Waititi's wife Rita Ora in a black lace gown and headpiece, with Ortega in gold satin, Adams and Natasha Lyonne also attending. Right · 1The Daily Mail also said it was Ora's first outing since it emerged that her former manager Sarah Stennett's firm FAE Ventures is suing her at the High Court for about £3.2 million over alleged unpaid earnings. It said it had asked Stennett's and Ora's representatives for comment and had had no response.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left2 outlets

Framing
A negative review headlined as another misfire for Ortega, Adams and Waititi. It argues the film betrays the book's tone.
Emphasis
Comparison with Ishiguro's novel and with Waititi's earlier films, and the jokes added to the book's quiet spaces.
Leaves out or plays down
Does not mention the premiere event or the red carpet.
Charged language
“yet another misfire”“clown car”
For example
“Klara and the Sun: Sci-fi comedy is yet another misfire for Jenna Ortega” — The Independent
“driving a clown car through a novel by Nobel Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro” — The Independent

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Two critical reviews, both from North America, that say Waititi was a poor fit for Ishiguro's story. Deadline stresses flatness and obviousness; Screen Rant is a more personal note of disappointment with some praise for the cast, score and visuals.
Emphasis
Tone mismatch, a rushed or obvious plot, and comparisons with Jojo Rabbit and Never Let Me Go.
Leaves out or plays down
Neither mentions the red carpet or the legal dispute involving Rita Ora.
Charged language
“curiously flat”“face-palmingly obvious”“ham-fisted”
For example
“‘Klara And The Sun’ Review: Taika Waititi’s Latest Is A Curiously Flat Dystopian Comedy-Drama” — Deadline
“Taika Waititi Fails To Capture A Quietly Emotional Dystopian Story” — Screen Rant

Right1 outlet

Framing
A celebrity red-carpet report led by Rita Ora's outfit. It has no review of the film and adds her reported legal dispute with her former manager.
Emphasis
Fashion, the couple's appearance together, and the £3.2 million High Court claim against Ora.
Leaves out or plays down
Gives no critical assessment of the film, and none of the reviews' negative verdicts.
Charged language
“steals the show”“kooky”
For example
“Rita Ora steals the show in a kooky black lace gown and a huge headpiece” — Daily Mail
“Rita's outing was her first since it emerged she is being sued by her former manager” — Daily Mail

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