Shellie Adams |
After the Hunger Games took theaters by storm with a bad-ass female lead, the dystopian movement has taken off among young adult novels and movies and Divergent isn’t any different.
Divergent is set in a post-war Chicago where the society has been split into five factions based on characteristics that drive the inhabitants of each group. Tris, our main character, chooses to leave her faction Abnegation, the selfless, and join Dauntless, the brave. It is here that she discovers that people like her, Divergents, who could belong to a number of the factions, are being eradicated because they cannot be controlled.
For those of you who have read the book, expect what book lovers always expect when watching an adaptation: some disappointment. The movie spends a lot of time on Tris and Four’s relationship, her trainer/lover, and there are gaps in the plot because they never develop her relationships with other people. If you haven’t read the book expect a decent plot line, a great acting performance by Shailene Woodley, who plays Tris, and a small amount of violence. Oh, and the kissing scenes, which are a staple in movies these days.
On the plus side, the film was shot beautifully. There were some amazing sets used and the cinematography and acting was overall impressive, that is, if you don’t mind that pretty much all of the supporting characters were never fully developed and basically served no purpose.
If the trailer looked intriguing, I would recommend going to see it, but make sure you set aside a good 3 hours of your time considering the movie itself is 2 hours and 20 minutes. It wasn’t a bad movie, but as a reader who loved the book, I was pretty upset when they botched the characterization and changed the ending.
While Hunger Games hit the nail on the head and captivated audiences, I think Divergent just falls short of being the next great dystopian movie.
Watch the trailer:
