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Divergent: Another Solid Young Adult Adaptation

By NICHOLAS NEGRON
Staff Writer

Divergent was released on March 21. The film is directed by Neil Burger and is based off the international bestselling novel “Divergent” by Veronica Roth.
The story takes place in a futuristic Chicago through a dystopian lens. After a terrible war, the surviving city is divided up into 5 different factions. Factions are societal divisions that classify citizens based on their aptitudes and values.
This definition is given by Roth in bonus materials interview at the end of the “Divergent” novel. The five factions serve different roles in society and take on certain characteristics. The Abnegation are selfless. They wear gray and see looking into a mirror as vanity. They are charitable and help feed the factionless (homeless). The Dauntless are brave. They often wear black and have extravagant piercings and tattoos. They work as law enforcers or soldiers. The Candor value honesty and often work as lawyers. Because they believe the truth is black and white, that’s what they wear. The Amity are the peaceful farmers, artists, nurses and general caretakers in society. The Eruidite are Chicago’s scientists and teachers.
I.Q. is heavily important to them in determining rank in the faction. Children will grow up in the factions, taking in the beliefs of their parents who either chose this faction or grew up in it themselves. At a certain age, teenagers are allowed to take an aptitude test to decide what faction best suits them. After this, they decide what faction they would like to live in for the rest of their lives. There are initiation tests for each faction. Those who do not pass initiation tests become factionless. The initiations vary. For the Dauntless, it is a series of intense physical and mental challenges. The Amity greet their new initiates with sing-alongs.
The aptitude test is a simulation serum. When placed under this simulation, the main character Tris Prior, discovers she is divergent. This means the results of her aptitude test were inconclusive. She tested positive for Erudite, Dauntless and Abnegation. Divergents are rare. They have the potential to disrupt the social norm with their unorthodox way of thinking, according to main antagonist and Eurdite leader, Jeanine Matthews.
As a fan of the book, I had very high expectations for the movie. I did realize that not all characters and scenes in the book could have been equally represented in the movie. In that regard, I was not disappointed. The movie is generally a faithful adaption of the book. The star of the movie is Golden Globe-nominated actress Shailene Woodley, who plays main character Tris Prior. Acting opposite her is Theo James, who plays Dauntless member Tobias “Four” Eaton. Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet plays the villain, Jeanine Matthews. Other main actors include Zoe Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, Ashley Judd, Tony Goldwyn, and Maggie Q.
“Divergent,” the novel, is a New York Times Best Seller. It has sold over 5 million copies. It is one of HarperCollins’s most successful e-books ever released. As soon as the book was published, it received comparisons to other young adult novels, including “The Hunger Games.”
“Compared to other such books in the same genre as “The Hunger Games” trilogy, it did ‘not exactly distinguish itself,’” wrote Susan Dominus of the New York Times.
Even though “Divergent” and “The Hunger Games” are both dystopian-themed trilogies centered on an adolescent girl as the main character, they are certainly different. In dystopian literature, themes of survival generally overlap between novels. That goes for any genre of literature. The creativity shown by an author will set one story apart from the next. While others might not feel the same way, I believe Roth does an amazing job at capturing a realistic and distinctive environment. The film does well to visualize most written descriptions in the novel, including the futuristic city of Chicago.
With a budget of $80 million, Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate are very invested in the success of this soon-to-be franchise. NECA has released a variety of Divergent-themed merchandise including clothing, coffee mugs, bedding, jewelry and many more items. There are also Barbie Collector Divergent dolls of Tris Prior and Tobias Eaton. There are to be two more films made to complete this trilogy. They will be based off the successor novels, “Insurgent” and “Allegiant.”
One setback in the plan of this franchise is that Neil Burger will not be returning to direct the second film. Whether new director Robert Schwentke will be able to make Insurgent visually flow with Divergent is currently unknown.
The film debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with 40 percent of critics giving the film a positive review, while 81 percent of the audience liked it. These may not be the best ratings overall, but it will be financial success that will drive the franchise. Divergent is an interesting film that will keep the audience invested in the safety of Tris Prior, Tobias Eaton, and their friends and family.

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