In a futuristic Chicago, the city's leaders divide the population into five factions: the brave (known as Dauntless), the smart (Erudite), the selfless (Abnegation), the truthful (Candor), and the kind (Amity). Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is a teenager who participates in a ceremony where she decides which faction she'll remain for the rest of her life. Insecure about the decision, she takes a personality test to show her which faction she should choose. However, what happens when the results are inconclusive? Tris becomes "Divergent", which society mandates she must be cast out of the system. The faction-less are undesirables, the lowest of the low, and for fear of being thrown aside, she keeps her results a secret, choosing to become part of the Dauntless. As she struggles to fit into this new group, led by the stern, mysterious Four (Theo James), she begins to uncover the sinister underbelly of the seemingly perfect system.
As one can tell, there's quite a bit going on in this film: self-actualization, government conspiracies, psychological debate, an underdog story, and I almost forgot to mention the romance. Divergent is jam-packed, and it's one of the film's weaknesses. It simply is too long. Coming in at almost two and a half hours, I found myself losing interest more than a couple times throughout, tricked by more than a couple false endings. The story focuses on Tris' rise through the ranks, and if the film cut a bit of filler (a tattoo scene comes to mind), it could spread out the development of romance and villain's plan instead of squeezing it into the third act.
I also found myself confused at the premise. If this personality test is simply meant to help one decide which faction they'll go into, why is it such a big deal if the results are inconclusive? Either way, they'll have to choose a place to go into. The movie establishes if one doesn't succeed in the initiative process, they'll be cast out, faction-less. The consequence is already set; the test results are presented as this do-or-die device that really shouldn't make a difference. I haven't read the book, so I assume this scenario is executed with more time and explanation there, but a confusing introduction here almost lost me.
However, despite the shaky introduction, I pressed on, and the rest of the film balances out well. Woodley, while less impressive than her contemporaries, carries the film well, capturing the character's insecurity, growth, and satirical wit. I'm indecisive about Theo James; his character can come off as wooden, but he has his moments (note the Ferris wheel and the duo-minded practice session). The rest of the cast work well: Zoe Kravitz as Tris' sweet best friend, Miles Teller as her snarky rival, Jai Courtney as a ruthless overseer, Ansel Elgort as Tris' brother Caleb (it's going to be a bit awkward now to see him and Woodley romance it up in The Fault In Our Stars this June). Their characters, while versed in archetype, leave an impression. I grew attached to them, which is more than I can say for other films of this type (*cough cough* Mortal Instruments).
The visuals work well: There are scenes where Tris enters a hallucinatory practice space to conquer her mental fears. Similarly to Nightmare On Elm Street, there are moments of ill clarity as to what's real or not. From Tris leaning against a glass wall to suddenly becoming encased in a glass tank of water, the film has fun messing with perception and expectation. I found these hallucinations to be the most fun and engaging part of the film.
Divergent took a while for me to understand, but once I got through the more shaky parts, I grew to appreciate this world and characters. I actively wanted to see what happened next; the movie presents its sequel to be an expansion of the story, not just a retread. And while The Hunger Games disappointed me on that front, I have hope for this series. It's not as impressive or emotionally gripping, but for what I was given, I liked it fine. I'd say if you're a fan of dystopian tales, check it out. Thank you all for reading, I'm the Man Without A Plan, signing off.
Divergent trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sutgWjz10sM
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