The story takes place in some futuristic time, with the world’s last living people, in Chicago, no less. The world is divided into groups of factions….The Erudite are smart. The Amity are naturally kind. The Candor are about honesty and order, and the Dauntless pose as police and protectors. This system seems to work for everyone except young Triss (Shailene Woodley) because while she poses as a Dauntless, she tested as a Divergent. And that means she fits every group but at the same time fits in with no one.
Triss is intensely likable and as vulnerable as any high school girl searching for an identity. There’s something about this film that Hunger Games lacks. These kids are the high school bully, the most popular girl, the comic in the lunchroom and the romance in the bleachers. Or in this case, a guy named Four (Theo James) who makes James Franco look like a cheap rip-off of himself. The movie feels like a High School senior who gets to pick her college even if her parents are alumni of another university, except when you choose a different fraction, you may never see your parents again.
But their new ice-queen mama is played by Kate Winslet who dictates life should be all about control. She raises a good point, but she goes about it in a doctor evil sort of way. Triss’ parents (Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn) are in the fraction Abnegation which is the group that looks like they stepped out of an Amish community but even they have secrets to hide.
The film is directed by Neil Burger who brought us Limitless starring Bradley Cooper and in this, delivers the same urgency and a culmination of craftsmanship and intensity.
Divergent doesn’t twist and turn it raises the bar on Tris which somehow raises the bar on us as an audience. And as an audience, you’ll be riveted. Unlike Hunger Games, Divergent leaves you STARVING for more! ♔ ♕ ♚ ♛