Film Review: ‘Divergent’ finally provides a female heroine who lives up to the title

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Divergent: Three out of Five Stars

Fans of ‘The Hunger Games’ have undoubtedly heard of ‘Divergent’. It’s likely that they’ve even read the book it’s based on, although I haven’t. I had no idea what to expect when I walked into the theater – all I knew was that it would be two and a half hours before I saw the light of day again.

‘Divergent’ wastes no time loading us down with exposition. A post-war America has been transformed into a massive city, divided into five factions and fenced off from the rest of the world. Citizens are divided into the factions based on their most dominant characteristics: bravery, kindness, selflessness, honesty and intelligence.

Shailene Woodley, who viewers will recognize from ‘Secret Life of the American Teenager’, plays Beatrice, a 16 year old who exemplifies a unique manner of thinking that labels her a “divergent” – someone who can’t be categorized – which is apparently the most dangerous thing you could possibly be in this society. She ducks her head, picks a faction, and is then subjected to ten weeks of sadistic training at the hands of her new leaders, all the while finding it more difficult to hide her divergence which, again, is apparently a crime punishable by death. The film is slow to start, but picks up quickly once Beatrice, now called “Tris”, joins the Dauntless faction and begins her training.

What most excited me about ‘Divergent’ was the main character, Tris. She’s presented as the heroine of the film, which in this day and age doesn’t mean much. A female lead is typically useless without a man around. Even Katniss Everdeen, who proves her worth as a warrior in ‘The Hunger Games’, becomes little more than a billboard for the rebellion by ‘Catching Fire’. Nothing is more frustrating than a female heroine who falls flat at the first sign of real danger. But Tris starts out as soft and innocent, and quickly learns to defend herself. Once she learns to fight, she fights, and at no point does she cry out for help from her boyfriend.

Theo James, Miles Teller, Ashley Judd and Kate Winslet round out the cast and bring a lot of depth to their characters. James in particular is impressive as Four, a faction leader with a soft spot for Tris. His shirtless scene alone is worth the $5 admission price.

The film is similar to The Hunger Games in many ways, but is different enough to warrant seeing in theaters. Impressive graphics and exciting fight sequences will satisfy the action-starved, and Woodley and James’ on-screen chemistry is sure to make tweens squeal.

Bottom line, see this movie if you’re a fan of young adult novels and post-apocalyptic futures. If you hated ‘The Hunger Games’, don’t waste your time.