A Riveting Dystopian Sci-Fi Yarn

Rating: 9/10 (29 July 2014)

Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)
Rating: 4/5 stars
This is one of those rare occasions that a movie based on a recent young-adult novel has been done right, so savor it for what it's worth. And, worth it is, quite a lot, going by the terrific 2 hour 10 minutes ride you get through the stark dystopian landscape of "Divergent". What's more, the movie is not just about bleak dystopian locations and the direct bearing they have on the daily lives of their characters, but it also shrewdly manages to raise some highly pertinent questions about our own existence and what sort of world we could be leaving for the coming generations. The most uplifting fact about "Divergent" is that it pulls off this unexpected act through astute direction and some incredibly nuanced performances we usually don't associate with summer blockbusters.
While, Kate Winslet is an old warhorse and has played practically every type of role with grace and confidence, Shailene Woodley is a revelation, and proves yet again why her name is being taken in the same breath these days with Jennifer Lawrence as one of Hollywood's brightest, upcoming female talents. She captures the desperation, confusion, grit, determination, vulnerability, and tenacity of her character with the kind of self-assured conviction and realism you'd associate with seasoned performers. Kate Winslet as usual just shows up and reminds us of her immense abilities in every frame she's in, playing the villain with menace and an uncompromising faith in her misguided beliefs. Ashley Judd lend great support in the few scenes she's in. Sadly, the rest of the cast offers nothing worth penning down.
Now we all are well aware that this film is based on the first of a series of best selling fiction novels by author Veronica Roth, but as alluded to earlier, it's an aberration that the core elements of a good novel are retained while making it viable for a cinematic audience within cinematic time-constraints. For this reason alone, due credit must be bestowed upon screen-writers Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor for brilliantly adapting a recently loved novel, fresh in readers' memory, and transforming into a crisp screenplay that the Director and producers could work with. But, a screenplay - adapted or original - no matter how good, needs proper guidance, and this is provided with assured measure through the watchful eyes of Director, Neil Burger (known for accomplished efforts such as "The Illusionist" (2006), "The Lucky Ones" (2008), and "Limitless" (2011)). Alwin H. Küchler's cinematography could have been engaging and Richard Francis-Bruce and Nancy Richardson's editing could have been crisper, but thankfully they do not steer too far away from the plot.
"Divergent" not only gives us a fantastically entertaining blockbuster to thrill and chill us for w hours plus, it also offers up a thought- provoking sci-fi tale, which begs us to reflect on some startling points it raises even while we're being enthralled by the proceeding on-screen - something of an oddity in modern cinema. Along with being faithful to Roth's book, it also builds a strong cinematic universe apt for the screen and successfully manages to engage both sections of viewers - those who've enjoyed Roth's novel and even those who have no prior knowledge of the happenings of her dystopian fiction series. "Divergent" is basically a must-see for all who enjoy a thoroughly gripping, judicious sci-fi tale.