An OK book adaptation - just sit back enjoy, but don't think too much into the plot

Rating: 7/10 (15 September 2014)

Veronica Roth's series gets the silver screen treatment with the first film adaptation Divergent.
Set in a post-apocalyptic dystopian society, our protagonist fights against adult authority and existing social structures amidst violence as the protagonist transitions to adulthood. Sounds like most young adult novels being made into movies but, loosely summarized, that is the plot for Divergent. While not having personally read the books I was familiar with the series from seeing the distinctive covers monopolizing shelves in bookstores.
It is in the details that Veronica Roth's novel Divergent differentiates itself from its peers. The tale begins in the future in a decimated Chicago some time after a debilitating war. Society is no longer sustainable as a democracy and a new system is set up to prevent future conflict and maintain peace. Now the population is divided into virtuous factions: altruistic Abnegation, intellectual Erudite, kind Amity, honest Candor, and protector Dauntless. Adherence to the faction system is imperative to its success and is dependent upon individuals within the population identifying and belonging to a specific faction, and only one faction. Those who identify with multiple are called Divergents and can not be controlled or contained.
Beatrice is the daughter of one of the superiors within the Abnegation faction; the faction that governs the city. She and her brother Caleb are of age to test and choose a faction they will remain with the rest of their lives. When Beatrice takes the aptitude test the results are inconclusive, a rarity and a dangerous one at that, and she must choose her own path. Though truly a Divergent she chooses fearless Dauntless.
She leaves her life and family behind, transforming from Beatrice to Tris. Along with the other transfers she begins training as Dauntless under the coaching of Four. She must persevere and prove herself Dauntless or be cast aside to the undesirable factionless if she falls below approval standards. Or worse, be killed if found out to be Divergent. All the while the Erudite faction are working tirelessly to discredit and overthrow abnegation to become the new ruling faction.
It's a riveting tale for the YA book adaptation Divergent. The back-story is fed to audiences well to provide sufficient narrative seamlessly within the protagonist's plot. The film is action packed with fight scenes with a minor love interest line for the teens. All casting and acting is spot on. The set design really produces a dilapidated cityscape with costumes modern enough to pass for a sci-fi future. Divergent is good despite what it is: a Hollywood blockbuster to appease the masses and make boatload of money.
The issue is with the character development which is lacking as soon as Tris lands in the headquarters of Dauntless. At that point, all evolution is from the physical training and the film turns into one fight scene after the other and the movie just blends and fades. There just has to be something more to the story between the characters in the literature. The audience is supposed to believe that the teens are fighting for their livelihoods but there are few exchanges besides pats on the back and chummy punches to the arm.
Divergent is action packed, glossing over development details rather than creating a fully realized futuristic story. Hollywood gets its hands in Roth's novel and turns it into a typical blockbuster with the unrelated top-40 soundtrack to match. These minor details should not deter those from enjoying the film. If you look deep within the plot you will find darker broader themes regarding conformity and independence.
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