Divergent - Movie Review

Divergent (2014)
movie

What is it about:
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 perfect society, this secret might help her save the people she loves... or it might destroy her.

What did I think of it:
I loved the first two books in the Divergent trilogy, so I had to see this movie. I will confess I was a bit apprehensive: often if you read the book, the movie disappoints. I also had my doubts about the actor they cast as Four.

Still my curiosity was greater than my apprehension, so on April 3rd (the release day of the movie here in the Netherlands) I managed to drag my owner and her best friend (who hasn't read the book) to the theater.

And it was awesome!

I will confess my owner and I both wished Jai Courtney (who plays Eric) had been cast as Four, but we also had to admit that Theo James grew on us eventually. That aside: the casting was very well done. Special kudos to Kate Winslet, who I loved in her role as Jeanine.

They stayed close to the book, cutting out a lot of scenes of course, but I think the movie captured the important things that were in the book. I didn't feel like I was missing important things. The visual world building fitted with how I had imagined it in the books as well.

The camera work was luckily not as spinning and dizzying as some other movies these days. Instead it stayed close to Tris in a way that drew me into the movie and kept me there. The action scenes were well executed and, although fast paced, easy to follow. I was totally invested in the story from beginning to end.

All in all I loved the movie and it made me want to go reread the book right away. Only my towering TBR pile is stopping me.

Afterwards I of course asked my owner's best friend what she thought of the movie, curious to know how someone unfamiliar with the book would experience the movie. She loved the movie as well, and apart from not completely understanding the motivation of the bad guys, she felt like the story was easy to follow. She even loved it so much, she will be picking up the book.

So I can only say I think this movie is a success!

I can advice anyone who loved the book to go see it. And if you have a friend who hasn't read the book you can drag him/her along without being afraid they will be lost.

Why should you see it:
It's an awesome Dystopian story with lots of action