Matty's Movies: "Divergent"

Here we go again, yet another "Young Adult" themed movie. (or a "YA" movie, as they say in the industry.)

There have been quite a few of these films in recent years, most notably, "Twilight," "The Host," and "The Hunger Games."

All these films seem to be geared toward young adults, typically women, who want to go to the theatre and see a young girl (much like themselves) kick some ass. That was the case in the "Twilight" series with Kristen Stewart being the strong female lead. (Although I found her to be somewhat of a weak female lead. She never had an answer for anything, and she could never make up her mind about nothing (-5, double negative.)

Then there was "The Host." In this YA film the strong female lead was Saoirse Ronin. And she was quite the strong female lead. She kicked some butt, and in the process, took some names.

And finally, there was "The Hunger Games." Now, this "Young Adult" film (I feel) is the mother of all YA films. You had a beast of a story, and an actress who played a beast of a character named Katniss Everdeen. (Heroically portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence.)

All three of these films shared similar story lines. They were all about distraught, disturbed young adults who needed to right the wrongs in their lives... and fall in love.

In "Twilight" there was a little different plot line than the other films because the story revolved around vampires and werewolves.

In both "The Host" and "The Hunger Games" The story revolved around a post-apocolyptic world where the meek were trying to uprise against the powerful. (In "Hunger Games" it was over-priveledged humans and in "The Host" it happened to be aliens.)

And both of them also revolved around love.

Oh, and did I happen to mention that these are all YA novels turned into movies, and all of them are part of a series of novels that are being turned into sequels? Well, they are.

Now we get to "Divergent."

How do you think this story will go? Let me tell you. This is the same premise of all the other YA novels turned into movies. It's about a typical young lady in a post-apocolyptic world just trying to survive, help her family, and fall in love.

Shailene Woodley is the main character in this film. She plays "Tris," a young adult trying to find out where she fits in her society. Literally, that is what she is trying to figure out.

You see, where Tris lives there are five different types of people, or "factions." The five factions are Erudite (knowledgeable), Amity (peaceful), Candor (fairness), Abnegation (to deny oneself), and Dauntless (fearless). At a certain age you can choose your faction. Your parents belong to a certain faction and USUALLY the children follow suit and pick the same faction as their parents. But every once in a while someone will go off the farm and choose a faction unrelated to their family's.

Guess who chooses a different faction? Yup, you guess it, Tris! She chooses "Dauntless." They're like the police of the city. They are a brave ones, the daring ones, and the tough ones.

But there's a little twist with Tris. She's not just "Dauntless," she's "Divergent" and a threat to society. ("Divergent" is when you posess all five factions.)

The big wigs of this place, most notably, Jeanine (Kate Winslet's character) do not like Divergents. She's trying to have them killed so society can run the way it should be run. Trust me, there are some deep-seeded shenanagans going on here, and Tris ain't having it.

Guess what else happens? Yup, Tris has a crush on someone! (Just like in every other YA novel!) Her love interest is a young man named "Four" (No, not "Three" and no, not "Five."... "Four.") acted quite well by Theo James.

I could go on telling you about every nook and cranny of this buttered up movie, but I won't. I'll let you go out and see it for yourself. Or you can go rent "The Host," "Hunger Games'" or even "Twilight." You'll see what I mean when I say all YA movies are typically the same.

Being a young adult female (who just so happens to be a 44 year old man) I would like to give you my opinion on this film.

It was OK. I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. To me it was entertaining but bland. It was a little bit long. I had a real hard time watching the same thing that happens in all the other YA films I've ever seen. It seems to me that this is how they all go: Girl doesn't fit in. Girl tries to fit in. And for the next hour and a half, girl trains to fit in. Girl fits in, Girl saves the day, and Girl falls in love.

Now it's time to wait for "Part 2" so we can find out more about Girl!

That's Hollywood folks! They're out here printing money! And what makes money? Sequels to "Young Adult" movies!

So, go to the movies and see "Divergent." You'll most likely enjoy it, and in the process you'll be ready for "Divergent 2: Detergent: The Amazing True Story of All-Temper Cheer."

Alright, I gotta "Bounce."

Peace easy!

Matty W. Kelley, A Seat Apart Productions, reporting.

(Note: If you REALLY wanted to know what happens after this movie ends, well, I guess you could just read the book. But you all know how I feel about books, they suck... And I will say this until the day I am planted in the ground: "The movie is ALWAYS BETTER than the book.)