Dystopia* is no picnic for people living in it, but in the future world of “Divergent,” it’s especially hard on teens. At age 16, everyone must choose which of society’s groups they’ll join. That could mean staying with your family or leaving them far behind, for ever.
The film is based on Veronica Roth’s post apocalyptic* trilogy*.
The story, set in a war-destroyed Chicago in the future, centers on the friction* between freethinkers and an authoritarian* government.
Beatrice Prior (Shailene Woodley) faces danger because she’s a rare and dangerous bird: a so-called Divergent, who doesn’t fit well into one of the groups that control every side of life.
Both Beatrice and her brother, Caleb (Ansel Elgort), choose to leave Abnegation, the group of the selfless. Beatrice has never felt as naturally charitable* as her parents (Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn), and she is excited whenever she sees the Dauntless, the brave ones.
But soon after Beatrice joins the Dauntless, and renames herself Tris, she finds that train jumping and other wild behavior isn’t the choice of free spirits but the requirement of soldiers in training.
Tris’ martial* education takes up much of the first hour. Those newcomers who don’t prove their courage will end up among the “factionless,” outcasts* living on the streets of a city where you can never go home again.
Instructor Four (Theo James) takes an interest in Tris and her passing the test, softening the demands of leader Eric (Jai Courtney).
Then, as expected, things become mysterious*: Four shows Tris his tattoo* and, in an act of real intimacy*, invites her into his chemically produced nightmare to prepare her for the final test in her training: a fear test that’s similar to Room 101 in George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four.”
Fans of the novel may want to watch the film, but those unfamiliar with the books might be discouraged by lukewarm* reviews. The film has two sequels in the works and the next installment, “Insurgent,” is set for an early-2015 release.(SD-Agencies)
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