The Divergent Series’ latest installment promises to set itself apart from other dystopian movies
What a time to be alive – we’ve been spoiled with a host of brilliant dystopian book-turned-films, from the heart-pumping Hunger Games to the shocking Maze Runner.
Now, Divergent has presented itself as a strong contender for the hearts of post-apocalypse lovers; and this sequel, Insurgent, guarantees to take it to the next level.
Diverge Who?
If you’ve forgotten what Divergent’s about – or if you’ve been living in a bubble – here’s a quick catch-up. Set in a walled Chicago in ruins, the Divergent universe is split into five factions of survivors.
Humans who test positive for more than one faction are considered dangerous Divergents, as they are independent thinkers who cannot be controlled by any faction.
Protagonist Beatrice “Tris” Prior (played by Shailene Woodley), who grew up as a selfless member of Abnegation, learns that she is Divergent, and attempts to conceal it by assimilating into the Dauntless faction.
However, she and her partner Four (Theo James) are exposed as Divergents, and they are now forced to flee from the power-hungry leader (Kate Winslet) of the elite Erudite faction.
A World of Dirty Secrets
Insurgent picks up three days after the end of the first film, Divergent. As the aggressive Dauntless troops prowl the alleys of Chicago to flush out Divergents, Tris and Four must steal through the city to find allies hidden among the other factions.
Guilt-trodden by the violent deaths of her family and friends, Tris also unravels the frightening secret behind her identity, and why the Erudite leaders will doggedly hunt her down to the ends of the earth.
Non-Stop Action
Interestingly, Insurgent promises to be wildly different from its predecessor, Divergent – the movie will be pumped to the brim with action, leaving the audience in perpetual suspense.
Producer Douglas Wick said: “It starts with Tris being chased, and the action never lets up. We built the world in Divergent and now in Insurgent, we tear it up.”
For us, that means more eye-popping scenes and wonderful settings, from the beautiful to the terrifying. When Tris discovers the chilling plans that the Erudite elites have in store for Divergents like her, she is thrown into a realm of terror that she is forced to survive.
And with Tris and Four traversing the ruins of Chicago, we’re treated to a journey through all the unique environments of each faction.
Wick explained: “We start off in the beautiful lush fields, honeycomb beehive dome and signature tree of Amity… and finally we check out the depths of the Erudite world inside a high-tech lab.”
Hmm, that might sound a lot like other dystopian universes we’ve seen, but I’m willing to give this one a go. As its title promises, it might be divergent from the other movies of its kind.
By Pamela Chow
The Divergent Series: Insurgent [PG13]
Director: Robert Schwentke
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Naomi Watts, Maggie Q
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action
Run length: 119 min
Release: Mar 19
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