Synopsis: Set in the future when most of mankind has been wiped out by war and enclave of humans has divided themselves into factions depending on their dominant trait. Anyone who doesn’t have a dominant trait, like the films heroine Tris is divergent and seen as a threat - if they are discovered.
Stan’s thoughts: Loved the books. They don’t have quite the same level of cruelty and brutality as the Hunger Games (sorry but comparisons are inevitable) but it’s an inventive world and compelling story. However, where the Hunger Games films have managed to capture the blood, grit and fear of the books in Divergent the film-makers have not been able to resist adding a Hollywood gloss.
For a start Tris’ is from the Abnegation faction whose dominant trait is selflessness. They reject vanity, dress simply and without make up or adornments and yet both Tris and her mother look pristine and made up in the film.
Then when Tris is in training she gets quite badly beaten up in the books but there is just the merest hint of a bruise on her face in the film which disappears very quickly.
What I did like about the film is the way they visualised the ‘fear’ simulations and the Dauntless cave and their escapades. Divergent the film is entertaining enough - better than the critics seem to be giving it credit for and Theo James who plays Four is pleasant eye candy but I can’t help feeling a teeny bit disappointed. Maybe the producers of the Hunger Games films set the bar too high.
Ratings
- Stan’s 60%
- IMDB 75%
- Metascore 58%
- Rotten Tomatoes 41%
- RT Audience Rating 77%
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