Finally, the moment “Divergent” fans have been waiting for is here: “Insurgent” is out. Many fans anticipated that “Insurgent” would be good as the first film but were disappointed. The writers ignored the meaning of the storyline, which hurt the movie. Even though fans should go see this movie, they shouldn’t go in with too many expectations.
“Insurgent,” which is the second installment in the “Divergent” series, follows Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) who is on the run after the attack on her old faction. Jeanine (Kate Winslet), who hunts divergents, is after her. Trying to cope with her recent losses, Tris tries to unearth the truth about the secrets her parents have hidden and piece together Jeanine’s true motives. With the help of her love interest Four (Theo James), Tris ventures on a journey of discovery while trying to protect everyone around her and save her society from destruction.
The movie was fun and action packed the whole time. However, the movie was missing the depth that the book had. It was rushed, and they didn’t use specific material from the book’s storyline. When it comes to books being adapted into movies, they can’t take everything, but they left out key elements that made the story what it was.
For one, Tris’s depression over her parent’s death is eating at her. She also deals with the fact that she killed someone whom she considered her best friend. Her guilt was a big part of the book, and the movie didn’t spend time elaborating on that aspect of the storyline, and, by doing so, the movie didn’t draw out the raw emotion that was in the book.
There were many gaps in the plot because the writers dismissed the small stories within the book, like Four’s relationship with his parents. People who have read the book may have found it easy to follow along, but, for the people who haven’t, it’s confusing. Christina’s (Zoe Kravitz) anger at Tris, for example, came off forced and random.
Overall, the writers could have added more to the story. If they weren’t going to use the whole book, they could have tried to make up for it by expanding on the concepts they used. This was where the real story could have been useful; the movie didn’t do a good job telling it.
However, the acting was phenomenal. Shailene Woodley really brought Tris to life and reminded viewers why they loved her character in the book. The acting made up for obvious plot holes and helped the audience connect to the film. The entire cast delivered amazing performances. Kate Winslet’s portrayal of Jeanine was so believable and shows how much she’s grown from “Titanic.” And, who could forget the handsome Theo James, who is everything anyone could want in Four?
Even though the movie lacked depth, it wasn’t completely horrible. It’s enjoyable for what it is, and fans should take what they can get, but that doesn’t change the fact that the writers could have used the material that was in the book. It’s such a great story, and the movie should have told that great story.
