The film Insurgent was released March 27, just as we began spring break. It is the second film of the Divergent series based on the books by Veronica Roth and starring Shailene Woodley (whom some might remember from The Fault In Our Stars) and the British heartthrob Theo James.
Personally, I tend to dislike dystopian and futuristic movies and books, since they often lack substance and tend to be shallow. However, Insurgent overcomes this mold by presenting a robust and unique plot line along with a strong female lead.
Behind the scenes, Robert Schwentke took charge as director and brought the action that he was known for in his movies Flightplan and RED. This level of action was really important in Insurgent, as the plot revolves around the struggle of a Abnegation girl who struggles to learn who she is, and the intensity and almost suicidal recklessness that make her a Dauntless. This action-packed plot gives emphasis to the powerful and strong character of Tris. Neil Burger, who directed Divergent (the first film of the series) brought the seriousness and emotional aspect that was crucial to the first film, but would have destroyed the integrity of the rest of the series due to the loss of the action that was necessary to the plot.
The biggest concern that I had going into the series was that the movie would not be like the book. Although the screenwriters did leave out some characters and scenes, this only enhanced and streamlined the process, because often times while reading Insurgent the plotline moved slowly and was frankly quite boring. The movie moves through the plot a lot quicker, while at the same time keeping the viewer engaged and interacting with the effects.
I don’t often go to watch movies in the theater, but this movie was a must-see: the action and graphics were impeccable and the plot was solid. However, I would recommend you skip the 3D version—save your money and avoid the cheap attempts to scare the audience.
Although there were many good aspects of Insurgent, it lacks character development and features some weak acting. Overall, it is a powerful movie (especially if you are a fan of the books) and is the latest dystopian story line that has us hooked and obsessed with the characters and movies.