Dystopian satire is a difficult thing to pull off without seeming heavy handed. Neil Burger’s Divergent looks to follow the path of films like Equilibrium, in taking bits and pieces from George Orwell, Phillip K. Dick, and Aldous Huxley and mashing them together into some brainless dystopia that has the subtlety of a sledgehammer. The episode of Star Trek with the half-black, half-white, people had a more even-handed approach to current political issues than the trailer for Divergent looks to have (and that is a bold statement).
In this half-baked premise, everyone is categorized into a few different groups based on personality. Shailene Woodley’s character doesn’t fit any of those criteria. Queue Inception soundtrack, shots of brutalist architecture, and blatantly obvious commentary on individuality in modern society and you’ve got yourself another Hunger Games.
Woodley will surely be chased down by an evil military because they are threatened by her free thought (probably the only thing that can bring them down). Don’t think about the fact that nothing would have happened if they had left her alone. Ten bucks says she joins an underground resistance of some sort and falls in love with a hunky male.
If you are a fan of “smart” movies for dumb people, check this out when it hits theaters on March 21, 2014.
Divergent is directed by Neil Burger and stars Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet, Miles Teller, and Theo James. It hits theaters March 21, 2014.
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By: Jill Landon
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