Divergent might satisfy fans of the book but that’s it

Divergent is the worldwide mega book best seller with a strong female lead.  I didn’t read the book-and I’m over 30-and I’m not a girl.  Having said that, you don’t have to be a girl to like this movie, but it would certainly help if you were under the age of 20.

It’s a future world where society has gathered into the city of Chicago, except with a massive hundred foot fence surrounding it.  Everyone is grouped into a faction based on what you’re good at, some give, govern, protect and so on.  There are five factions and at a set age you have to choose which group you’ll join and then continue in for the rest of your life.

It’s like Logan’s Run, except instead of killing you they put you in a category.  If you’re too young to know Logan’s’ Run, then you might like Divergent, otherwise it’ll feel like warmed over snippets of (insert dystopian future movie) (here).

Tris is a Divergent, she falls between groups and is special because of that.  She joins the protector faction where she learns to fight, shoot guns and eventually becomes involved with her instructor.

It’s like Top Gun, except instead of flying planes they’re enforcing the law for a society that’s most likely on the verge of collapse.

Of course it is on the verge of collapse and it’s being controlled by some people in charge who are going to drug the cops so that they’ll help carry out the plan.

Shailene Woodley plays Tris and Theo James is Four and they do their best to keep the movie together, but it’s not enough.  Divergent is at least half an hour too long and even if it were cut by that time it would still be a slow, laboring trek to a payoff that is obvious for all.

The sequel is already in pre-production and there is a third book in the series, if it makes it that far.  If that’s the case, then the third book will be chopped into two movies, you’ve seen this script before haven’t you?  Literally, you’ve seen this before.  See Divergent if you’re a fan of the books, otherwise stay home, read a book or check out another release this weekend.

For parents there’s nothing too objectionable about the movie.  The violence is combat, urban type stuff that’s not realistic.  There is no bad language that I could remember. Divergent does teach kids about the qualities of hard work, being honest and the love of family, but that’s still not a good enough trade off to see it.