Divergent

Teen films are notorious for getting slammed by serious critics. When the trailer for Divergent was released earlier last year, many were quick to point out the movie’s seemingly large resemblance to The Hunger Games. Both stories were originally written as novels, are read largely by young adults, are set in a dystopian future and feature a female protagonist.

Based on the screening and press conference for what is predicted to be 2014’s top-grossing film, it is clear that Divergent actually deviates from the mold set by The Hunger Games. The movie is not a two-hour long blood fest starring 24 unlucky district representatives. Instead, it revolves around a girl who is struggling to identify herself in a society where individuality has been eradicated. This battle is one that resonates loudly with many people today, and is one that Veronica Roth, author of the trilogy, experienced herself.

“When I was 16, I felt I had to decide right then what I wanted to do with my life,” she said at a press conference.

Inspired by the pressure of society and the expectation felt during her college years, Roth created the character Beatrice Prior, played in the movie by Shailene Woodley.

“I felt like when I was Beatrice’s age, I sort of went through the same thing,” Woodley said at the conference. “I would ask myself things like, ‘How do I balance everything and not base my decisions on those around me?’”

Struggling underneath the suffocating guise of conformity, Divergent explores the “what-ifs” of its world: What if the so-called utopian society that the story is set in was actually filled with flaws? What if there were a group of citizens who were able to resist commands? What if they did start to fight back?

Set in futuristic Chicago, the film introduces the viewers to the motto, “Faction before blood.” In what seems like a utopian world, every member is divided into one of five factions: Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Erudite and Dauntless. This system allows control over the citizens and minimizes threats to the system. Every year, 16-year-olds must take an aptitude test that will determine which faction they are best suited for. Unlike all the other test-takers, however, Beatrice’s results are inconclusive. This makes her a “divergent,” someone who identifies with multiple factions; in other words, someone who threatens the system. Told to keep her test results from everyone else, Beatrice spends the rest of the movie attempting to fit in with her faction members, discovering the cracks in the government system and — of course — falling in love with her attractive instructor, Four (Theo James).

What makes Divergent a fun watch is the fact that the viewers get to grow and develop alongside the characters. The story doesn’t focus exclusively on the action scenes; instead, viewers are given insight into the history of the characters and the society in which they live. Beatrice herself is a complex character who has contradicting traits — she is fearless but not intimidating, naïve but clever, audacious but physically weak — she is relatable in her humanity. This made director Neil Burger’s task more difficult, as he had to portray all her contrasting attributes in one film.

“There are so many genres all at once,” Berger said. But that is what makes this film exciting. Beatrice’s life is traced out carefully for the viewer from her time in Abnegation to her accepting the fact that she is divergent.

“I know it’s a young adult film but I was making an adult movie,” Burger said.

This statement is made clear in the fight scene. It is incredibly rare to sit through a movie and watch the lead actress get beat up to the point of unconsciousness. The scenes are visually disturbing, but somehow, weirdly refreshing. To see Beatrice on the floor, face bruised, is quite a sight. The image speaks to the strength of the female protagonist in the movie. Though she is lying lifelessly on the mat with blood streaming down her face, it is clear that she is equal to the men in the movie.

All in all, Divergent will easily become a favorite for moviegoers who are not of the serious sort. This movie is for those who need an hour-and-a-half break from reality and for those who like getting lost in a different world. It might not be groundbreaking, but Divergent is fun and captivating. So enjoy the movie for what it is: a fusion of sci-fi, action and a hint of chick-flick.