Review of Divergent (2014) by Liam C — 21 Jun 2015

I can't really explain why but I really wanted to get into this series for some reason. Some might say that it just follows the generic YA tropes like others of its type, like a teenager having to make a lifelong decision at that age, (even though in this universe it is explained) and I can't really explain why this series in particular but I read the book first and I liked what I read. 'Divergent' is a pretty good adaptation and an enjoyable film on its own.

Now, I say it's a good adaptation in the sense that I liked the film. Of course things are going to be changed from print to screen and some things are changed, some things are in a different order and some things don't even happen at all, I'm not saying it as a negative I'm just justifying myself by saying why I thought it was a good adaptation. The main story was there as well as the characters. I was joking but I said if one of the opening scenes wasn't in front of a mirror, all hope was lost! The opening for this film was so atmospheric, it was great and I hoped that the film would continue to feel the same way and it did the paranoia and confusion that our characters feel is translated well. The director of this film did do an excellent job though, even though I knew what was going to happen in the major dramatic scenes, Neil Burger did a good job at creating suspense and actually having me on edge as if I didn't know what was coming. He also did a great job at showing Tris' evolution as she becomes stronger, much like in the book; he really did a great job making us care for her story, the scene when she was on the zip line was a nice moment and made me smile.

Credit needs to be given the excellent cast as well. The casting director for this film did their job perfectly, every actor looks the part from the story as well as acts like the character, it was so well chosen. I remember going back and reading it again closer to the time this film was being released and I just saw these actors in the roles, they fit so well, but for the characters that didn't appear, well that's something else. The only thing that seemed drastically different was the amount of voiceover, it is in there but not very much but this is a film, so it makes sense, but when it came back in again for the final line of the film, which felt odd for some reason. The film also looks good and I liked seeing in action the futuristic world where it has new things but also has some old things like the train, for example. The music was great, it was memorable and fitting.

I wondered why the film was as long as it was before I saw the film, it's an adaptation, I get that but so much was left out and while this film is 2hours and 12 minutes without credits, the next film is just under two hours and I'm not sure how they made that work. However, the film does seem to get the end point quicker but that is because it is a film adaptation but some could say that not much happened in this film as what most of it is, is seeing the growth of these characters and seeing the beginning of something much bigger happening at the end but I think this could work as just a single film, the ending worked like that, although I could see people getting angry. Again, this is based on a trilogy of books but I always like it when a story in a film franchise is one big story over a few films as opposed to it just being a title where the numbers get bigger on the end. 'Divergent' was well put together and an enjoyable film and I don't why I left it so long to finally watch this.