I went to see this movie this weekend and being a lover of the books, I am always a little nervous going to see the adaptation of books that are turned into movies; especially when they are young adult books that gripped you from the moment that you read the first word. Thinking about let downs the Twilight franchise comes to mind quite a bit - it had the ability to be a great film. The Hunger Games did a bit better in my opinion. When going to see Divergent, I had really enjoyed reading the first book, so I had some pretty good expectations and in the same breath a little grace.
The movie begins with Shailene Woodley cast as our heroine, Trist (Beatrist) who gives a great narration at the beginning of the film to describe what the story is about. The movie takes place in the future and when you reach a certain age you are given a test to determine where you place is, where you fit in. There are characteristics that are labeled as five factions : Abnegation (selfless), Candor (honest), Amity (peaceful), Erudite ( intelligent), and Dauntless (brave). As a teenager, actually 16, you are given a test that will determine what faction (virtue) you will possess. You are born into one faction, but your results can tell you something different, as you are allowed to choose, too. However, once you make your choice you cannot go back. There are a select few that the test does not work on; they do not fit into just one faction. These are called Divergent and are a threat to the society and the way it is governed.
As the story progress we we watch as Trist takes the test and finds out that she is in fact Divergent. This must be kept a highly guarded secret. Trist cannot tell anyone, not even her parents. The more people that know, the more her life is in danger. At the choosing ceremony Trist chooses to be Dauntless, which means she must leave her parents and never look back; a task a little harder for Trist to swallow than anticipated. Her journey takes her to a place where she is taught how to be ruthless, to fight to the death to protect everything and everyone in the city, the role of the Dauntless faction. There Trist meets Four played by Theo James, a highly skilled and ruthless trainer. Four teaches Trist how to fight both mentally and physically and in some ways becomes her protector. A silent love story begins to unfold.
As Trist finds her way through the basic training her mentor Four begins to notice that she is different, not like the rest of his other trainees. When Four soon finds out that Trist is in fact Divergent, he finds his attraction to her is much deeper, as he also is Divergent. Together they form an alliance to make sure that neither one is ever found out. They both uncover that there is a secret plot to overthrow the government that is run by Abnegation.
Over the rest of the film we see relationships form, friendships end, and people sacrifice all they have ever known to do what is right. In my opinion it is a good movie that follows the book pretty closely since Veronica Roth, the writer, is also a producer on the film. Great acting, good directing (no awkward moments of over acting), and good cinematography combine for a disturbing portrayal of a future world. You can easily find your way without having read the books, as well. A good Saturday matinee, but I would save the evening money for another choice.