A Fun Fim with Serious Flaws

Rating: 6/10 (20 December 2014)

Yes, the concept of this film appears dumb. In a post-apoplectic future, a walled-off Chicago is divided into five societies, called factions, that must live and work together. But one faction decides it wants to take over, forcing the lead character to become a rebel. If you interpret the 'factions' as tribes, and put them in an isolated area, the concept rings a little more true. And it is, after all, a science fiction story.
Sadly, after two hours of fairly entertaining plot development, the movie melts down in a desperate attempt to set up a sequel. Apparently they want to duplicate the success of the Hunger Games, but Hunger Games had a logical ending. In this film, the good guys capture the enemy command center, stop a massacre, and then inexplicably run away. They don't explain to their faction how they've been manipulated, they don't kill off the bad guy leader even though she has just murdered hundreds of innocent people, and they take no steps to prevent the massacre from happening again. It makes no possible sense, other than the writers/producers wanted 'two young lovers on the run' for the next movie. Gosh, we've never seen that plot before.
This film has good acting, good sets, and good costumes. It has an Ender's Game theme, which should appeal to teenage audiences, but be prepared for the cheesy conclusion.