“Insurgent” Surges Into Theaters

For those who have read the “Divergent” trilogy written by best selling author Veronica Roth, they will most likely be shocked to see all of the changes within the film adaptation. Roth has been very vocal about her opinions on her social media accounts regarding all of the modifications. She believes that these changes keep the plot flowing seamlessly and without them, some of her favorite scenes would not make the final cut.

“Insurgent” picks up right where “Divergent” left off. Tris (Shailene Woodley) is seeking shelter in Amity, one of the five factions, with Four (Theo James), Caleb (Ansel Elgort) and Peter (Miles Teller). While there, Tris is slowly deteriorating from posttraumatic stress disorder with vivid nightmares after witnessing the death of both of her parents, and having to live with the guilt of killing her best friend Will.

Tris’ character development drastically shifts in this film. Little does the audience fully understand Tris’ emotions in “Divergent,” but this time around Tris is severely struggling with her inner demons as she incriminates herself for the deaths of her loved ones.

One of the major changes in this film is the box in which Jeanine (Kate Winslet) is trying to open. It withholds a message from the founders of the faction system and can only be opened by a Divergent. While Jeanine is searching for the strongest Divergent who can pass five simulations without dying, Tris and Four remain fugitives who must undergo a truth serum at the Candor headquarters to declare their fate.

Woodley pulls the audience in with a gut wrenching star performance while Tris is under the serum. She is struggling to hold in all of her secrets but cannot manipulate the serum enough to hide the fact that she had killed Will, leaving Four and Christina (Zoë Kravitz) speechless.

Four and Tris’ relationship is solely built on truth and respect, but it is nothing close to perfect in “Insurgent.” The film lacks the grasp of how rocky their relationship really is and rarely shows how many walls they put up against one another.

What makes up for the loss of scenes devoted toward the chemistry between the characters are the incredible computer-generated imagery (CGI) effects. New director, Robert Schwentke, fully takes this film’s graphics to a whole new level, not only exceeding in 3D effects, but also creating a torturous world shown in simulations.

Along with great cinematography, this film is filled with class act talents such as Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer (Johanna), Naomi Watts (Evelyn) and newcomer Keiynan Lonsdale (Uriah).

Teller is also a major scene-stealer. With a limited amount of screen time, Teller fully amplifies Peter’s characteristics with an outstanding performance, sizing up to Woodley and James.

Every day that Tris does not surrender herself to Jeanine, an innocent dies. Filled with guilt, Tris must find a way to save those around her, even if it means sacrificing herself. In order for Tris to fight back and destroy Jeanine’s plans, she must first destroy her own inner demons.

“Insurgent” hits theatres tonight with premieres starting at 8 p.m.