“One choice can transform you-or it can
destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the
factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she
loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and
forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day
should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction;
instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors.War now looms as conflict
between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides
must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more
irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also
by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting
relationships. Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not
know what she may lose by doing so.”
Director:
Robert Schwentke
Writers:
Brian Duffield (screenplay), Akiva Goldsman (screenplay)
Stars:
Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Theo James
Runtime:
119 minutes
Synopsis:
"The Divergent Series" has always been judged against movie
series’ like "Hunger Games" and "Harry Potter". While the
concept is a bit alike, the story got its' own plus points. Continuing
"Divergent", "Insurgent" isn't really like its'
predecessor. It's faster and more thrilling than ever, filled with breathtaking
hunts and chases as well as ingenious visuals.
"Insurgent" follows Tris (Shailene Woodley), Four (Theo
James), and the others on the run from Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet) who is
hunting divergents (first movie is recommended to understand the story that
follows in this movie). Another plot that includes a mystery box, which only
divergents could open through simulations, is also pretty inventive.
Doubting it would be good, it turns out to be better than expected. Not
only the story is faster, the risks are higher and it creates a darker tone.
The actors were well suited for the characters similar to the first installment. It is the change of
director that marked an advancement over the last one. Robert
Shwenke gives more anxiety to the audience with enough visuals that could
make your heart race.
Not saying the movie doesn't have any flaws. There's a bit of problem
with the script which is either the movie's strength or weakness. Some scenes are
not very well executed. But, that doesn't really matter to the experience as a
whole. Thankfully, the action scenes overcome its flaws.
Looking too closely into the book series and comparing it to the film,
yes of course there will be many things missed and left out but what can you
really do about having a limited time span and budget? As true fans, I would
believe the love of the books should extend to the love of the film because
that’s what true fans do. Not to mention, the effort from the filmmakers to
maintain the identity and integrity of the books in the movie, is a job well
done.
If you loved "Divergent", there's no doubt you're going to love this.
All in all, it’s a pleasing experience. Cast:
The Godfather Part II is a
1974 American epic crime film produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola
from a screenplay co-written with Mario Puzo, starring Al Pacino and Robert De
Niro. Partially based on Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather, the film is both
sequel and prequel to The Godfather, presenting parallel dramas: one picks up
the 1958 story of Michael Corleone (Pacino), the new Don of the Corleone crime
family, protecting the family business in the aftermath of an attempt on his
life; the prequel covers the journey of his father, Vito Corleone (De Niro),
from his Sicilian childhood to the founding of his family enterprise in New
York City.
The film received widespread
acclaim from critics, with some deeming it superior to the 1972 original, an
Oscar winner for Best Picture. Nominated for eleven Academy Awards and the
first sequel to win for Best Picture, its six Oscars included Best Director for
Coppola, Best Supporting Actor for De Niro and Best Adapted Screenplay for
Coppola and Puzo. Pacino won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor and was nominated
for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Both this film and its
predecessor remain highly influential films in the gangster genre. In 1997, the
American Film Institute ranked it as the 32nd-greatest film in American film
history and it kept its rank 10 years later. It was selected for preservation
in the U.S. National Film Registry in 1993.
Another sequel, The
Godfather Part III, was released in 1990.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by Francis Ford Coppola
Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola, Mario Puzo
Based on The Godfather by Mario Puzo
Starring Al
Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, Morgana King,
John Cazale, Marianna Hill, Lee Strasberg
Music by Nino Rota
Cinematography Gordon Willis
Edited by Peter Zinner, Barry Malkin, Richard
Marks
Release dates December 12, 1974 (New York City)
December 20, 1974 (United States)
Running time 200 minutes
Country United States
Language English, Sicilian
Budget $13 million
Box office $47.5–57.3 million (North America)
Plot
In 1901, Corleone, Sicily,
nine-year-old Vito Andolini’s family is killed after his father insults local
Mafia chieftain Don Ciccio. He escapes to New York and is registered as
"Vito Corleone" on Ellis Island.
On the occasion of the 1958
first communion party for his son, Michael Corleone has a series of meetings in
his role as the Don of his crime family. With Nevada Senator Pat Geary, he
discusses the terms of a fourth state gaming license for the Corleones, but the
two only trade insults and demand payoffs. Johnny Ola arrives to express
support for Michael on behalf of Florida gangster Hyman Roth. At the same time
as the Don tries to manage his depressed sister Connie and older brother Fredo,
Corleone caporegime Frank Pentangeli is upset that his boss will not help him
defend New York against the Rosato brothers, who work for the Jewish Roth. That
night, Michael survives an assassination attempt at his home and puts
consigliere Tom Hagen in charge, reassuring him of their fraternal bond.
In 1917, Vito Corleone
(Robert De Niro) lives in a tenement with his wife Carmela and son Sonny and
works in a New York grocery store owned by the father of a close friend. A
member of the Black Hand, Don Fanucci, who extorts protection payments from
local businesses, forces the store owner to fire Vito and give his job to
Fanucci's nephew. As a favor to his neighbor, Peter Clemenza, Vito hides a
stash of guns; in return, he is invited to the burglary of a rich apartment.
His share of the loot is a plush rug, which he lays in his own living room.
In Miami, Michael tells Roth
that Pentangeli was behind the assassination attempt; Michael then travels to
New York where he tells Pentangeli that Roth ordered it and asks him to
cooperate with his plan for revenge. Pentangeli meets the Rosatos, and their
men ambush him, saying they act on Michael's orders. However, a passing
policeman interrupts them, and they flee, leaving Pentangeli for dead.
Senator Geary finds himself
in Fredo's brothel with a dead prostitute and no memory of how he got there; he
accepts Tom's offer of "friendship" to cover up the incident.
After witnessing a rebel
suicide bombing in Havana, Cuba, Michael becomes convinced of the rebels'
resolve to overthrow the dictator Fulgencio Batista. Fredo brings Michael money
for a deal with Roth, but instead of giving it to Roth, Michael asks Roth who
put out the hit on Pentangeli. Roth is reminded of his late friend Moe
Greene—dead in a spate of Corleone killings—saying, "This is the business
we've chosen. I didn't ask who gave the order because it had nothing to do with
business!" As they go to President Batista's New Year's Eve party, Michael
tells Fredo that he knows that Roth plans to kill him as he leaves the party,
and later, Fredo inadvertently reveals that he knew Johnny Ola, despite his
previous denial. Michael's bodyguard strangles Ola but is killed by police
before he can finish off the ailing Roth. Michael embraces his brother,
revealing that he knows that he was behind the plot on his life, but the party
breaks up as word spreads that the rebels are taking over. Fredo flees in the
chaos. Back home, Tom informs Michael that Roth is recovering in Miami and that
Kay's pregnancy has miscarried.
Three years later, two more
sons—Fredo and Michael—have been born to Vito. He and his partners (Clemenza
and Sal Tessio) face extortion by Don Fanucci, who demands that they let him
"wet his beak" from their recent burglary or he will have the police
ruin the Corleone family. Vito persuades his partners to pay Fanucci less than
he asks and promises he will "make him an offer he won't refuse" as a
favor to them. During a neighborhood festa, Vito meets with Fanucci and earns
his respect. He then follows Fanucci, surprises him in his apartment foyer,
shoots and kills him, takes back his partners' money, and escapes.
In Washington, D.C., a
Senate committee investigating the Corleone family cannot find evidence to
implicate Michael until a surprise witness is called, Pentangeli - who survived
the attempt on his life and is under witness protection.
Vito has become a respected
figure in his New York community. He confronts a landlord who doesn't know him,
offering extra money to let a widow keep her apartment. The landlord says he
has already leased it and becomes angry when Vito demands that he allow her to
keep her dog. Later the landlord learns that he may have offended the wrong
person. Terrified, he returns to assure Vito that the widow can stay, along
with her dog, at a reduced rent.
Michael and Tom observe that
Roth's strategy to destroy Michael is well-planned. Fredo is returned to
Nevada, where he privately explains himself to Michael. He was upset about
being passed over to head the family, and helped Roth, thinking that there
would be something in it for him, unaware, he swears, of their plans on
Michael's life. He informs his brother that the Senate Committee's chief
counsel is on Roth's payroll. Michael disowns Fredo and cautions Al Neri,
"I don't want anything to happen to him while my mother's alive".
Pentangeli, ensconced in FBI
witness protection and ready to avenge the attempt on his life, is prepared to
confirm accusations against Michael until his Sicilian brother attends the
hearing at the Don's side; Pentangeli denies his sworn statements, and the
hearing dissolves in an uproar. Afterwards, Michael violently prevents Kay from
leaving with their children; she retaliates with the revelation that her
miscarriage was actually an abortion.
Vito, together with his
young family, visits Sicily for the first time since childhood. He is
introduced to the elderly Don Ciccio by Don Tommasino as the man who imports
their olive oil to America and who wants his blessing. When Ciccio asks Vito
who his father was, Vito says, "My father's name was Antonio Andolini, and
this is for you!" He then plunges a large knife into the old man's stomach
and carves it open. As they flee, Tommasino is shot and injured.
Carmela Corleone dies. At
the funeral, a reformed Connie implores Michael to forgive Fredo. Michael
relents and embraces Fredo but stares intently at Al Neri. Roth is refused
asylum and even entry to Israel. Over Tom's dissent, Michael plans his revenge.
Tom visits Pentangeli and offers to spare his family, reminding him that failed
plotters against the Roman Emperor took their own lives.
Connie helps Kay visit her
children, but Michael closes the door on any forgiveness.
As he arrives in Miami to be
taken into custody, Hyman Roth is shot in the stomach and killed by Rocco
Lampone, who is immediately shot dead by FBI agents. Frank Pentangeli is
discovered dead in his bathtub with slit wrists. Al shoots Fredo while they are
fishing on Lake Tahoe.
On December 7, 1941, the
Corleone family gathers to surprise Vito for his fiftieth birthday. Sonny
introduces Carlo Rizzi to Connie. Tessio comes in with the cake, and they
discuss the attack on Pearl Harbor. Michael announces he has left college and
enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, leaving Sonny furious, Tom
incredulous, and Fredo the only brother supportive. Vito is heard at the door,
and all but Michael leave the room to greet him.
Michael sits alone by the
lake at the family compound.
The Godfather is a 1972
American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by Albert S.
Ruddy from a screenplay by Mario Puzo and Coppola. Starring Marlon Brando and
Al Pacino as the leaders of a fictional New York crime family, the story spans
the years 1945-55, concentrating on the transformation of Michael Corleone from
reluctant family outsider to ruthless Mafia boss while chronicling the
Corleones under the patriarch Vito.
Based on Puzo's best-selling
novel of the same name, The Godfather is widely regarded as one of the greatest
films in world cinema—and as one of the most influential, especially in the
gangster genre. Ranked second to Citizen Kane by the American Film Institute in
2007, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film
Registry in 1990. It is #21 in the Sight & Sound poll.
The film was for a time the
highest grossing picture ever made, and remains the box office leader for 1972.
It won three Oscars for that year: Best Picture, Best Actor (Brando) and in the
category Best Adapted Screenplay for Puzo and Coppola. Its nominations in seven
other categories included Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall for Best
Supporting Actor and Coppola for Best Director. The success spawned two
sequels: The Godfather Part II in 1974, and The Godfather Part III in 1990.
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Produced by Albert S. Ruddy
Screenplay by Mario Puzo, Francis Ford Coppola
Based on The Godfather by Mario Puzo
StarringMarlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Diane Keaton
Music by Nino Rota
Cinematography Gordon Willis
Edited by William Reynolds, Peter Zinner
Release datesMarch 15, 1972 (New York City)
March 24, 1972 (United
States)
Running time175 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $6–7 million
Box office $245.1–286 million
Plot
On the occasion of his
daughter Connie's wedding, Vito Corleone hears requests in his role as the
Godfather, the Don of a New York crime family. Vito's youngest son, Michael,
wearing a Marine Corps uniform, introduces his girlfriend, Kay Adams, to his
family at the reception. Johnny Fontane, a famous singer and godson to Vito,
seeks his help in securing a movie role; Vito dispatches his consigliere, Tom
Hagen, to Los Angeles to talk the abrasive studio head, Jack Woltz into giving
Johnny the part. Woltz is unmoved until he wakes up in bed with the severed
head of his prized stallion.
Shortly before Christmas
1945, drug baron Virgil "The Turk" Sollozzo, backed by the Tattaglia
crime family, asks Don Corleone for both investment in his narcotics business
and protection through his political connections. Wary of involvement in a
dangerous new trade that risks alienating political insiders, Vito declines.
Suspicious, he sends his enforcer, Luca Brasi, to spy on them. Solozzo has Vito
gunned down in the street, then kidnaps Hagen. With Corleone first-born Sonny
in command, Hagen is pressured to persuade him to accept Sollozzo's deal, then
released. Vito survives, and at the hospital Michael thwarts another attempt on
his father; Michael's jaw is broken by NYPD Captain Marc McCluskey, Sollozzo's
bodyguard. Sonny retaliates with a hit on Tattaglia's son. The family receives
two fish wrapped in Brasi's bullet-proof vest, indicating that Luca
"sleeps with the fishes." Michael plots to murder Sollozzo and
McCluskey: on the pretext of settling the dispute, Michael agrees to meet them
in a Bronx restaurant and, retrieving a planted handgun, kills both men.
Despite a clampdown by the
authorities, the Five Families erupt in open warfare and Vito's sons fear for
their safety. Michael takes refuge in Sicily, and his brother, Fredo, is
sheltered by the Corleone's Las Vegas casino partner, Moe Greene. Sonny attacks
his brother-in-law Carlo on the street for abusing his sister and threatens to
kill him if it happens again. When it does, Sonny speeds for their home but is
ambushed at a highway toll booth and riddled with sub-machine gun fire. While
in Sicily, Michael meets and marries Apollonia Vitelli, but their euphoria is
shattered when a car bomb intended for him takes her life.
Devastated by Sonny's death,
Vito moves to end the feuds. Realizing that the Tattaglias are controlled by
the now-dominant Don Emilio Barzini, Vito assures the Five Families that he
will withdraw his opposition to their heroin business and forgo avenging his
son's murder. His safety guaranteed, Michael returns home and enters the family
business. He and Kay reunite and marry the next year.
With his father at the end
of his career and his brother too weak, Michael takes the reins of the family,
promising his wife the business will be legitimate within five years. To that
end, he insists Hagen relocate to Las Vegas and relinquish his role to Vito
because Tom is not a "wartime consigliere"; the older man agrees Tom
should "have no part in what will happen" in the coming battles with
rival families. When Michael travels to Las Vegas to buy out Greene's stake in
the family's casinos, their partner derides the Corleones for being run out of
New York; Michael is dismayed to see that Fredo has fallen under Greene's sway.
Vito suffers a fatal heart
attack. At his funeral, Tessio, a Corleone capo, asks Michael to meet with Don
Barzini, signalling the betrayal that Vito had forewarned. The meeting is set
for the same day as the christening of Connie’s baby. While Michael stands at
the altar as the child's godfather, Corleone assassins murder the other New
York dons and Moe Greene. Tessio is executed for his treachery; Michael
extracts Carlo’s confession to his complicity in setting up Sonny's murder for
Barzini. After Clemenza garrotes Carlo with a wire, Connie accuses Michael of
the murder, telling Kay that Michael ordered all the killings. Kay is relieved
when Michael finally denies it, but when the capos arrive they address her
husband as Don Corleone.
San Andreas is a 2015
American 3D disaster film directed by Brad Peyton. The screenplay was written
by Carlton Cuse, with Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore receiving a story
credit. The film stars Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario, Hugo
Johnstone-Burt, Art Parkinson, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Paul Giamatti,
Will Yun Lee and Kylie Minogue.
Principal photography of the
film began on April 22, 2014 in Australia and wrapped up on July 27 in San
Francisco. The film was released worldwide in 2D and 3D on May 29, 2015. It
received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed over $295 million
worldwide.
Directed by Brad Peyton
Produced by Beau Flynn, Hiram Garcia, Tripp Vinson
Screenplay by Carlton Cuse
Story by Andre Fabrizio, Jeremy Passmore
Music by Andrew Lockington
Cinematography Steve Yedlin
Edited by Bob Ducsay
Running time 114 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $110 million
Box office $295.1 million
Plot
Raymond 'Ray' Gaines (Dwayne
Johnson) is a Los Angeles Fire Department helicopter-rescue pilot. In the midst
of a divorce from his estranged wife, Emma (Carla Gugino), he calls his
daughter Blake (Alexandra Daddario) to discuss their upcoming trip to San
Francisco. Meanwhile, Caltech seismologist Lawrence Hayes (Paul Giamatti) and
his colleague Dr. Kim Park (Will Yun Lee) are at the Hoover Dam making a
breakthrough in earthquake prediction when an unknown fault nearby ruptures,
triggering a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that collapses the dam and kills Park in
the process when he stays on the dam to save a little girl. When Ray is called
into work, Blake reluctantly decides to go with her mother Emma's new
boyfriend, Daniel Riddick (Ioan Gruffudd), a wealthy real estate developer, to
San Francisco where he is completing a downtown high-rise building.
Hayes discovers that the San
Andreas Fault is starting to shift, causing a massive 9.1 earthquake that
starts ripping apart major cities along the fault line. At the same time, Emma
is having lunch with Daniel's sister Susan (Kylie Minogue) when the quake hits
Los Angeles, destroying much of the city with Susan among its heavy casualties.
Ray is able to save Emma, and they barely escape the city onboard his
helicopter. Much of Southern California becomes affected by the quake. In San
Francisco, Daniel brings Blake to his office building. Blake waits for Daniel
in the lobby, where she meets Ben (Hugo Johnstone-Burt), an engineering student
from the United Kingdom seeking employment at the office, and his little
brother, Ollie (Art Parkinson). Daniel returns and attempts to leave the office
with Blake, but the two become trapped in their car in the parking garage of
the building after the string of earthquakes begin to strike the city,
partially collapsing the garage. Daniel leaves the car in search of help, but
flees in terror, leaving Blake behind. She is found by Ben and Ollie, who help
free her from the car and escape the collapsing building. The trio find a
working phone line and Blake calls Ray, who begins to fly toward San Francisco
with Emma to save her.
While enroute, the engine in
Ray's helicopter suddenly fails, forcing him to make an emergency crash-landing
into a mall below them in Bakersfield, where massive looting is taking place.
Among the chaos, Ray steals a Ford F-150 from the parking lot, and the couple
resume their journey on the road, but find they are trapped by the expanding
fault line. The couple comes across an older couple broken down on the side of
the road, whom they learn own an airplane. The older couple agrees to give them
the keys to the plane in exchange for their vehicle, and the two continue to
head north in the air. Meanwhile, Blake, Ben and Ollie try to find a spot in
the city where Ray and Emma can save them; seeing that their planned rendezvous
point, Coit Tower, is already engulfed by flames. With help from news reporter
Serena (Archie Panjabi), Hayes is able to warn others of a much bigger
earthquake in San Francisco, just in time before it hits; becoming the largest
earthquake ever in history, recorded as a 9.6.
Ray and Emma eventually
arrive in San Francisco, abandoning their aircraft and parachuting into
AT&T Park just as the aftershocks continue to destroy the city. They
commandeer a boat and hear a warning over the radio that a tsunami is
approaching the city. Along with other evacuees with boats of their own, they
are able to get over the incoming wave near the Golden Gate Bridge. Daniel, who
is on the bridge, is killed when a cargo ship slices the bridge in half and a
loose shipping container crushes him. The tsunami floods the city, causing
massive casualties and knocking over several buildings. Blake, Ben, and Ollie
manage to run into Daniel's building moments before the water hits. They move
up floors and manage to signal Ray and Emma, who are searching nearby for
Blake. As they see the trio, the building starts sinking into the ground,
causing water to flood the building. Ben and Ollie are able to escape, but
Blake becomes trapped in the rising water, runs out of air, and drowns before
Ray can get to her. Emma crashes the boat through the building's thick window
panes in an attempt to get everyone on board before escaping as the building
completely collapses. Now aboard the small boat, Ray performs CPR on Blake and
finally revives her after several minutes.
The five make it to a relief
camp in Marin County. The now reconciled Ray and Emma, along with Blake, Ben,
and Ollie, talk about their future as the sun slowly sets on the now destroyed
Bay Area, now swarmed with different military organizations and rescue vehicles
initiating the relief process. The camera pans out, revealing San Francisco as
an island.
Development
On December 1, 2011, it was
announced that New Line Cinema was developing an earthquake disaster film,
"San Andreas: 3D", from a script by Jeremy Passmore and Andre
Fabrizio; Allan Loeb polished the script. On June 5, 2012, the studio set Brad
Peyton to direct the film. On July 18, 2012, New Line tapped Carlton Cuse to
re-write the script for the earthquake disaster film. On July 18, 2013 The
Conjuring writers Carey Hayes and Chad Hayes were tapped by the studio to
re-write the film again. The film was also produced by New Line and Village
Roadshow Pictures, along with Flynn Picture Company and Australian limited
Village Roadshow.
Casting
On October 14, 2013, Dwayne
Johnson closed a deal to star in the film, playing the role of a helicopter
pilot searching for his daughter after an earthquake. On February 4, 2014,
Alexandra Daddario joined the cast. On March 12, 2014, Carla Gugino joined the
cast, reuniting with Dwayne Johnson, with whom she starred in Race to Witch
Mountain and Faster. On March 14, 2014, Game of Thrones actor Art Parkinson
joined the film's cast. On April 1, 2014, Archie Panjabi joined the earthquake
film. On April 5, 2014, Todd Williams also joined the film, to play Marcus
Crowlings, an old Army friend of Johnson's character. On April 15, 2014, Colton
Haynes was added to the cast of the film. On April 29, Ioan Gruffudd joined the
cast of the film. Gruffudd played Daniel Reddick, a wealthy real estate
developer who is dating Johnson's character's estranged wife. On May 28, Will
Yun Lee joined the cast to play Dr. Kim Chung, the co-director of the Caltech
Seismology Lab in the film. On June 11, Australian singer and actress Kylie
Minogue joined the film.
Filming
On December 17, 2013 Variety
reported that the film would be shot at Village Roadshow Studios in Gold Coast,
Queensland, Australia. The production was set to start in April 2014 in
Queensland, with locations including Ipswich and Brisbane. On March 20, 2014 it
was announced that Gods of Egypt had started production in Australia, and San
Andreas was set to begin soon after. On April 16, 2014, Johnson tweeted photos
from the training for the film.
Filming began on April 22,
2014 in Australia and was also shot in Los Angeles, Bakersfield, and San
Francisco. On May 12, shooting took place in the Lockyer Valley. On May 10–11,
shooting was taking place in Los Angeles and then production went back to
Australia to complete the rest of shooting. On May 17, second unit was filming
scenes in Bakersfield where a helicopter was spotted, while Johnson was busy in
Gold Coast. On June 22, the crew was spotted filming disaster scenes on
Elizabeth Street in Brisbane.
The film's second-unit
started shooting on July 8, in San Francisco, while the first unit began
shooting on July 21, wrapping up on July 27. On July 15–16, first unit was
filming in Fisherman's Wharf, while a second unit was also filming in
Embarcadero on July 16. On July 21, the filming was taking place at AT&T
Park, where the crew shot a scene during a San Francisco Giants game. On July
22, they filmed an earthquake with fake victims and fake garbage at Hyde and
Lombard streets in Russian Hill. On July 23, crews were filming disaster scenes
in The Armory. On July 26, they filmed some scenes near the Fairmont Hotel,
with the last day of filming spent shooting on the California Street in
Financial District, wrapping up filming on July 27, 2014.
Music
On July 24, 2014, it was
announced that Andrew Lockington would be composing the music for the film.
Three teasers were revealed
and two of them include Robot Koch & Delhia de France and Sia singing
"California Dreamin'" by The Mamas and the Papas.
Writers:
Veronica Roth (based on the novel by), Evan Daugherty (screenplay)
Stars:
Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate
Winslet
Duration:
139 minutes
“Set in a futuristic dystopia where society is
divided into five factions that each represent a different virtue, teenagers
have to decide if they want to stay in their faction or switch to another - for
the rest of their lives. Tris Prior makes a choice that surprises everyone.
Then Tris and her fellow faction-members have to live through a highly
competitive initiation process to live out the choice they have made. They must
undergo extreme physical and intense psychological tests, that transform them
all. But Tris has a secret that she is Divergent, which means she doesn't fit
into any one group. If anyone knew, it would mean a certain death. As she
discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly peaceful
society, this secret might help her save the people she loves... or it might
destroy her.”
Synopsis:
Divergent
– A movie based on Sci-Fi novel of the same name is a story of a girl searching
for her true identity in a world so systematically configured that a single
point of disturbance may cause havoc to the whole system. This single point is
nothing but a girl named Beatrice aka Tris, who unintentionally falls in the category
of a debarred community of Divergents characterized for their independent
thinking, whom the government think of as threat and uncontrollable.
In
a futuristic dystopian Chicago, the society is divided into five factions:
Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless
(the brave), and Erudite (the intelligent). The Factionless have no status or
privilege in society. When children reach the age of 16, they are subject to a
serum-induced psychological test which recommends their best-suited faction,
then are allowed to choose any faction as their permanent faction at the
subsequent Choosing Ceremony.
Tris
is a born Abnegation, but contrary to that she always admired the Dauntless in
their fearless and free-to-move spirit. This makes her choose the Dauntless as
her faction in the ceremony. Initially she struggle with the Dauntless
trainings, but slowly improves as the timeline grows. In the next phases of training,
the trainees are subject to psychological simulations where they face their
worst fears. Tris' divergence allows her to excel at the tests, defeating them
in unusual ways, but Four (Theo James) warns her to hide her abilities and
solve the challenges as a normal Dauntless. The rest of the story goes on her
search of true identity and the question as to why being a Divergent was so
much a threat to the government, and who is responsible for making everyone
against them.
As
for the technicality perspective, the cast looks at first a bit clumsy, but as
the movie goes on, it somehow fits with for all the characters. Direction is
good and portrayal of a whole new different world with different rules and categories
shows how much effort has been put to craft it that one may think of it as real
at some point of time while watching the movie. Story is straight-forward but
it works as the individuality stands here in it.
As
a whole, "Divergent" has an interesting plot line that moves well.
There is nothing confusing about it. It follows the book (which is also quite
good!) pretty well.
