Insurgent:
Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and
continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her
society apart with the help from others on her side.
Director: Robert Schwentke
Writers: Brian Duffield
(screenplay), Akiva Goldsman (screenplay).
Stars: Shailene Woodley,
Ansel Elgort, Theo James |
Story line:
One choice can transform you-or it can destroy you.
But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all
around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and
herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness,
identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been
marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day
ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions
and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets
will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful.
Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical
new discoveries, and shifting relationships. Tris must fully embrace her
Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
User Reviews:
A Laughable Dystopian Thriller
In the distant future, an uprising against the
government of ends brutally and tragically, forcing those who survive the
revolution to (a) form a new political system or (b) conform to the recent
totalitarian control. Society is divided into sections called s; each has a
certain specialty, like or . But despite the initially seamless system, civil
unrest is mounting with slow but capable precision. At its lead is a young man
or woman who bears unique traits, like or ; they are the only hope for a
democratic future as the ruthless government will do everything they can to
deter change.
If you haven't guessed it already, I have just
written the formula for creating a brand new Hunger Games/Divergent series (or
run-of-the-mill video game at worst). Post-apocalyptic setting? Check!
Attractive young people who want to be free at last? Check! A governmental head
honcho who wants nothing more than to see those attractive young people’s heads
on sticks? Check!
Where The Hunger Games and Divergent split apart is
specifically at the fault of their makers. Suzanne Collins concocted a series
that held enough interest for the moody youths all the while pressing thought-
provoking political questions; the novels, along with their film counterparts,
feel timely, and most importantly, smart. Veronica Roth made a franchise of
silly but entertaining (and obviously YA oriented) books more intent on action
and romance instead of something deep. There's nothing wrong with that, but in
the realm of film, the Divergent movies somehow feel dated. The Hunger Games
films smash the box-office along with audience and critical expectations; the
Divergent projects, on the other hand, limp along in comparison, looking like a
crowd of Jan’s attempting to be one big Marcia.
As much as I knew the first Divergent was
manipulative formula that told me that things were more urgent than they
actually were, I liked it. I liked its full-blooded action, its futuristic aromas,
and most importantly, Shailene Woodley (who is on her way to becoming a major
star). It wasn't great, but it didn't underestimate our intelligence, either.
But months later, I couldn't remember many of the plot points: All I could
recollect was a lot of running, punching, breathy kissing, brightly lit
technological colors, and most importantly, Kate Winslet scowling her ass off.
Insurgent suffers from the dreaded sophomore slump
(not to suggest Divergent was an unmatchable masterpiece). Like its predecessor,
things are kept moving at lightning speed, and we're never bored; but unlike
its predecessor, the weak links in the storyline and dialogue are much more
noticeable. The first time around, we were just starting to get used to this
new (yet somehow familiar) dystopian world, but in Insurgent, we've adjusted
ourselves, and like someone who's lived in the same house for thirty years,
flaws become much more apparent than they were before.
Divergent ended with leading heroine Tries Prior
(Woodley) hastily escaping the murderous government after a violent
confrontation that left the Divergent hating villain Jeanine Matthews (Kate
Winslet) with a knife in her hand (a constant reminder, as Winslet dons a
distractingly large bandage). Now in hiding with love interest Four (Theo
James), her brother (Ansel Elgort), and a recent ally (Miles Teller), Tries is
trying to regroup; as a rose in a sea of white daisies, she is Public Enemy #1.
Meanwhile, Jeanine finds herself in the possession
of an ancient box that was hidden centuries ago by the creators of the Faction
system. Inside The Box (it deserves a title) is a message that will come in
handy in a time of crumbling systematic function; problem is, only a Divergent
has the ability to unlock it. Desperate, the government begins testing every
single person who resides in the Factions, hoping to find a Divergent in the
crowd who has strong enough abilities to eventually get their paws on the
secret message. But because Tris is the most powerful Divergent of them all,
Jeanine begins a cutthroat quest to find the woman who hurt her poor little
hand.
If the plot sounds slightly weak, it is. It can
barely hold itself together, as it wants to find an excuse to have as many loud
action sequences and uninspired bits of dialogue as it possibly can. It
connects the dots with hesitation. Yet, I find myself sounding way too harsh.
Yes, I laughed at much of the unintentional seriousness, and yes, the script
ranges from embarrassing to bland. But I had a good time at the theater, even
if much of that good time was brought unintentionally. I guess that's what
counts. I'm in the wrong demographic anyway (as a movie critic, I lit up at the
very sight of Watts). This is a film for young teenage girls (I went with my
14-year-old sister, after all), and if I look or act anything like a teenage
girl than I sincerely apologize.
0 comments:
Post a Comment