"The Hunger Games" 2.0 - but not as good

Rating: Null/10 (28 September 2014)

The "Divergent" series of novels, which started to appear in 2011, owes a great deal to "The Hunger Games" collection, which began to be published in 2008. Both are three works aimed at young adults and written by female American authors (in the case of "Divergent", Veronica Roth). Both have a principled and plucky 16 year old heroine (in "Divergent", Beatrice 'Tris' Prior). Both are set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian world located in the former United States (in "Divergent", an enclosed Chicago). Both involve societies strictly divided (in the case of "Divergent", into five factions based on different human attributes). Both mix violence and romance in an exploration of coming of age and discovery of identity. And both are being turned into four money-making movies.
I have read the three "HG" novels and seen the two (so far) films and so, while not having read the "Divergent" books, I was happy to give this first spin-off film a go. I don't think it packs the punch of its rival but it's certainly entertaining enough. As with the "HG" movies, an absolutely key ingredient is the casting of the central heroine. Again we don't have quite the talent that is Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, but Shailene Woodley - whom I first spotted in "The Descendents"- is an appealing young actress of genuine potential and 2014, which saw her in "The Faults In Our Stars" as well as "Divergent", is definitely her take-off year.