MOVIE - Insurgent

PG-13 (1:59)

Wide release 3/20/2015

Opening day, 3/20/15 at Roadhouse with Cyra

RT Critic: 32     Audience: 71

Cag:  3.5  Liked it - quite good

Directed by Roibert Schwentke

Lionsgate Films

Based on the book by Veronica Roth (who was also some type of producer for the movie)

Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Miles Teller

My comments:  It seemed to follow the book quite well, but I think I liked this movie retelling a little better.  The scenes near the end where Tris goes through the different simulations is easier to relate to, I think.  I hate when people say, "oh, they're such a cute couple," but in this case, I've got to echo that emotion.  These two make a very believable twosome.  Naomi Watts seems waaaay too young to be Tobias's mother.  That didn't work for me one tiny bit.

RT Summary:  THE DIVERGENT SERIES: INSURGENT raises the stakes for Tris as she searches for allies and answers in the ruins of a futuristic Chicago. Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) are now fugitives on the run, hunted by Jeanine (Winslet), the leader of the power-hungry Erudite elite. Racing against time, they must find out what Tris's family sacrificed their lives to protect, and why the Erudite leaders will do anything to stop them. Haunted by her past choices but desperate to protect the ones she loves, Tris, with Four at her side, faces one impossible challenge after another as they unlock the truth about the past and ultimately the future of their world.

MOVIE - Divergent

PG-13 (2:20)

Wide Release 3/21/2014

Viewed Saturday afternoon 3/29/2014 at El Con

RT Critic: 40 Audience: 79

Cag: 3 Equaled expectations and was fun to watch

Directed by Neil Burger

Lionsgate Films/Summit

Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ashley Judd, TonyGoldwyn, Miles Teller

My comments:  Well, I was particularly impressed with the casting of the movie - the two leads did a great job (Shailene Woodley, playing Tris, knocked it out of the park and Theo James is so intense - and gorgeous).  The addition of Miles Teller as Peter was particularly well-cast, as was Tris' father (hello, Mr. President!)  The only ones that didn't do it for me were Christina and Will, those didn't work for me at all.  The storyline followed the book pretty well, but it doesn't really bother me when things are left out....they can't include all the idiosyncrasies and nuances that you get from a book.  It was very entertaining and fun to watch, I was completely absorbed.

Rotten Tomatoes Review:  DIVERGENT is a thrilling action-adventure film set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader (Kate Winslet) to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four (Theo James) and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it's too late. Based on thebest-selling book series by Veronica Roth.