Divergent (2014)

Director: Neil Burger

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.

Cast:

	Shailene Woodley	...	Tris
	Theo James	...	Four
	Kate Winslet	...	Jeanine
	Jai Courtney	...	Eric