Divergent - A Movie Review





Summary: Divergent is a 2014 American science fiction action film directed by Neil Burger, based on the novel of the same name by Veronica Roth. The film is the first installment in the Divergent film series and was produced by Lucy Fisher, Pouya Shabazian, and Douglas Wick, with a screenplay by Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor. It stars Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Zoë Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, Jai Courtney,Miles Teller, and Kate Winslet.
The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic version of Chicago where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Beatrice Prior is warned that she is Divergent and thus will never fit into any one of the factions and soon learns that a sinister plot is brewing in her seemingly perfect society. The film was released on March 21, 2014, in the United States


I'll be honest, this probably isn't a fair review o n the movie as i have read the book and am comparing, so I'll split this into things I liked and disliked.

Likes; For the most part the casting, here are my highlights.
- Kate Winslet plays the wonderfully emotionless, cold-hearted Jeanine Matthews. For me, she represented the characters calculating and aloof nature, and as the head of Erudite, was a strong presence within every scene she was in.
- Theo James as "Four" was an amazing pick, he brought the right kind of strength and maturity, while maintaining a sense of depth and helped make the viewer feel his pain, when it is revealed who he is.

I also liked the entertainment factor within the film, i feel if I had not already read the Trilogy I would have been more receptive to the movie as a whole. It was equal parts, fun, exciting and boredom.  We have Tris who was part of the selfless faction moving into the crazy faction. She is a go-getter and a fighter. From day 1 in Dauntless she is fighting making the viewer fight with her, as she learns what she is and how to hide it. Four is both handsome helps keep the movie on my good side in all honesty. 

Dislikes; Omitting of details. 
- Edward. I felt that the omission of Edward from the films was a mistake. Especially knowing how Peter stabbed him in the eye. That for me was like a fore baring on the fact of just how ruthless Erudite will be. 
- Just the general lack of supporting character development. Tell me, how many of Tris's friends and rivals names did you know? You would only find out who Will was at the end, and Christina was the only one with a definite name. Even Al was sidelined, so his scene was partly worthless in that you didn't know who he was and why he did that. Even Peter, in the book he is a much scarier and opposing figure, in the movie he is like a puppy. Woof.

Overall I will give this movie a 3.5/5 as it is watchable, has some redeeming qualities, but will not make me shout and rave about it too my friends. Knowing that they have already planned to split the third book into 2 makes me more reluctant to support this franchise. Especially knowing how well, or shocking, Veronica Roth finished the series, I feel that in some ways, two movies is just pushing fans too much.

Talia.

Sorry I don't agree here, yes the movie missed out big features such as the development of characters and their importance but since this is a review of just the movie itself you can't be too harsh. The movie on its own was great I really enjoyed it and have already recommended it to some people, they got small details so right it was perfect such as the simulations.

 My main criticism when comparing to the book, was that Tris' character was wrong. Her main thing in the book is her aversion to human contact is so much that even a hand shake is foreign to her but in the movie she seems fine by this, even with Four she isn't too bad which is what makes her fear of intimacy seem kinda out of place in the simulations.

Her father also was wrong since he is meant to be way more hostile and again not intimate enough to give her a hug or tell her he loves her, she is not meant to be allowed to ask so many questions in Divergent.

Emma :D


No comments