VMJ Media Thoughts

* * Old, old review * *

Recently I watched Divergent. I had planned on watching this way back when it came out in March, but I wanted to read the book first. It’s something I try to do as often as I can.

 

And I couldn’t get past the first 200 pages. So I didn’t see the movie.

 

But I decided to watch the movie, spoiling the book (that I still plan on reading) for myself, trying to see if it would be better or at least entertaining.

 

It wasn’t, I will try to explain.

 

I will talk about the good first.

 

I think this movie looks nice. The living areas for each faction were unique and distinct. The gray, simple houses of Abnegation couples with the fact that they all looked the same really drove home their individuality. The Erudite building was all white, bringing to mind modern and futuristic. It was all very nice.

 

The music and costumes were simply okay. Nothing special or anything like that but nothing that I felt was wildly out of place. So good job there.

 

Now for the bad.

 

I’ve never seen Shailene Woodley or Theo James in anything other than this movie, and based on their performances here…they seem pretty boring. I mean, they weren't bad, they did their parts just fine, but they were boring. But to be fair, everyone seemed a little bored during the movie.

 

I also think the plot is ridiculous, but I also felt that it was ridiculous in the book. One thing I was sad about as I watched the movie was the lack of characterization Tris’ friends got. They were barely characters and I didn’t feel any emotions between the any of them. This was especially true for Al. That really bothered me because while I was struggling to read the book I did enjoy Tris’ relationship with her friends; her relationship with Al was my favorite. And it was completely missing in the movie. Boo.

 

Also, the movie completely dropped the ball on the romance between Tris and Four. I haven’t read it in the book but in the film it came out of nowhere and was pretty weak. I didn’t believe it at all and rolled my eyes at all the ‘I love yous’, they didn’t feel earned.

 

I won’t comment on the last third (?) of the film because I’ll be here all day. Just know that I was thinking, “This is ridiculous and stupid” the whole time.

 

I don’t know who this movie would please, people who haven’t read the book probably won’t be too entertained and fans of the boo will probably be disappointed since this movie is so mediocre. Oh well, just another lame YA adaptation. Hopefully The Maze Runner will be better.

 

My Rating: 2/5

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