All the charm of an army training film

Rating: 3/10 (26 December 2016)

Divergent is about a post-war sci-fi world where everyone is divided into one of five clans/casts called factions. They are called erudite, dauntless (athletic militaristic), abnegation (selfless service and government), amity (happy farmers) and candour. Each teen must choose a clan for life. For no apparent reason, the choice cannot be changed. Oddly, even the erudite faction has no educational or training requirements for admission. If the clan eventually rejects them after hazing, they became factionless, similar to homeless in our society.
Our heroine goes for a sort of career counselling where they pull out the stops on CGI. It is quite entertaining and mystifying.
Unfortunately, our heroine chooses the mindless, loutish, tattooed, militaristic, boorish dauntless faction who do nothing but jump on trains, climb buildings, fight and run in packs.
The world is a Republican wet dream where everyone is pitted against each other and the weakest are shamed, deprived and tormented.
After a promising start, the movie degenerates into a sort of boot camp army training film. BORING.
The whole premise of the movie that having more than one sort of skill is weird and dangerous makes no sense as does the rule you may never change factions.
This is a movie for teenagers who fantasise about joining a criminal gang.