Amazon spent billions only to find its brand on BookTok

Amazon's latest romantic drama, The Last Sunrise, has spent billions of dollars chasing the elusive success of Netflix. The film, based on Anna Todd's novel, follows a dancer with a rare genetic condition who seeks the perfect summer of love. Oriah, the main character, must choose between medication that could cause permanent memory loss or risky surgery.

Despite its beautiful aesthetics, the film fails to deliver any passion or stakes, feeling more like a rip-off of similar works. Amazon has poured billions into original programming, aiming to corner the market on young adult romantic dramas. However, many of their films are forgettable and interchangeable, often relying on high-emotion boy-meets-girl drama set against picturesque backdrops.

The Summer I Turned Pretty, however, stands out as the platonic ideal of this strategy, with well-defined characters and emotionally resonant storytelling that has made it Amazon's most-watched title globally.