March 4th of last year is certainly a day that I will not soon forget because that was the day that I went to the Chicago premiere of Divergent.
I was a foot away from the gorgeous Theo James and Shailene Woodley. I managed to get autographs from Ansel Elgort and Northwestern alum Veronica Roth. Not to mention we got to view the movie weeks before it was officially released.
However, a year later, I have to admit that I wasn’t as excited for the sequel Insurgent. There was hardly any advertising. Plus, they changed part of the storyline by making Jeanine’s objective surround opening a box, when that’s not even close to the book. And I hate when movies deviate from the book. Overall, the hype just wasn’t there.
However, after seeing it with my sister over the weekend, I can say that it is a must see. Why? Well, here ya go:
Same Characters, Same Great Actors
Sometimes when a sequel rolls around, actors are replaced. But for Insurgent, that is not the case. Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Ansel Elgort all reprise their roles of Tris, Four and Caleb, respectively. Miles Teller is also back again (thank God) as the annoying-yet-hilarious Peter, and Kate Winslet brings back the creepy cool of villain Jeanine Matthews. As brilliantly demonstrated in the first installment, these actors have chemistry.
Woodley’s At It Again
Woodley’s portrayal of the lead character Tris Prior is phenomenal. One scene I distinctly remember from the first movie was when Tris’s mother is shot on the street as they are trying to escape the mindless Dauntless army. Shailene’s emotions were spot on, and her delivery made me cry and clutch my mom’s arm. This time around, Woodley tops that performance in one scene in particular: when Tris and Four are put on trial in the faction of Candor for the events of the first movie. I won’t spoil anything, but man is that a doozy.
Veronica Roth’s World
I don’t know about you, but from the first time I read Divergent I fell in love with the trilogy and world that Roth had created. It’s always introduced as a dystopian society, but their system works and creates a lot more peaceful of an environment than what is seen in The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner or 1984. However, as Tris makes her journey through the initiation process as a Divergent, she, as well as the audience, is rudely awakened to the evil going on under their noses.
Just like in the first movie, Roth’s world of factions comes to life. And we get gorgeous yet rundown, futuristic shots of the best city in the world: Chicago.
Kick-Ass Females
For anyone familiar with the franchise, Tris does a lot of butt whooping. But that’s not just what makes her a great heroine. Tris continually speaks up for what she believes in and what she thinks is right. She has no problem fighting back with the ignorant people in her life (a.k.a. Peter) and she’s not submissive to anyone, especially not her brother or the male dominated Dauntless leaders. She is an equal in her relationship with Four, acting on her feelings and wants, not being the dainty flower that gets thrown against a wall by the burly boyfriend in a lot of sex scenes nowadays.
And it’s not just Tris. Jeanine is a huge character, as well as one of the most powerful. Every faction follows her lead and she has everyone convinced that she is working for the greater good. Jack Kang, leader of Candor, can’t fathom the fact that Jeanine devised the plan that led the Dauntless to attack Abnegation. Evelyn Eaton is another strong character introduced in this movie. She is the leader of the Factionless, and a bit of a nuisance for Four. Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer was also added to the cast as the leader of Amity.
This is truly a movie with almost equal male and female representation, with the female representation blowing all stereotypes to the wind. This needs to be seen more and more in today’s film industry.
Tris and Four
Of course, what’s a good YA novel without a love story. But unlike most recent stories, Tris and Four are not part of a love-triangle, which is blessedly refreshing. Woodley’s and James’s chemistry is so palpable, that you almost wish they were an item in real life (almost – I’d like to think that I still have a shot). They share many more moments in this movie than in the first, and it just adds to the believability of their romance. Plus, it’s hot as hell.
My Kind of Town
Although this movie wasn’t physically shot in Chicago, viewers still see the beautiful city. And who doesn’t get tired of movies set in the Windy City? Ferris Bueller anyone?
Overall, it was a good movie, well worth watching. I even saw it a second time.
images from giphy.com and buzzfeed.com