Written by: Veronica Roth
Number of pages: 525
Average Rating: 4.10/5 stars
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Published on May 1, 2012
Read again in May 2016
Directed by: Robert Schwentke
Running Time: 1 hour, 59 minutes
Average Rating: 6.3/10 (IMDb)
My Rating: 1.5/5 stars
Released on March 20, 2015
Watched in May 2016
After reading Divergent, Four, and now Insurgent, I decided to continue watching the films before continuing on with the series. I recently read and reviewed both the novel and film for Divergent, and was very happy with that adaptation. Unfortunately I cannot say the same for Insurgent.
From the very beginning there were differences, from characters; to settings; to plot details. Insurgent was such a strong novel I did not see any reason for them to make such substantial chances, and it was not done very well. To start with characters, I was disappointed with the portrayal of Johanna. Throughout the entire novel she is described as a woman with a powerful presence, and wears a large scar across the side of her face. While watching the film I could not see any scar, and for a minute did not even realize that Octavia Spencer was playing that role - the character was unrecognizable in my eyes. I was also very disappointed with how little we saw of Marcus, he was a big part of the revelation Tris has, and later came into play at the end of the novel. Not only that, where was Uriah? Where was Cara? Where was Tori? WHERE WAS HALF OF DAUNTLESS?!
I was very disappointed with how the film depicted Tris after the simulation. In the novel it is clear that she is dealing with PTSD from shooting Will and others, and cannot manage to hold a weapon. However, in the film she does not hesitate to pick up a gun, and although Will remains in her thoughts, it does not slow her down. I was also not happy with how they depicted Tris and Caleb's relationship, there was much more lead up to that plot twist, and I wish I had been able to see it unfold.
Don't even get me started on the "special box" and doing tests on the Divergent. I much preferred the plot of the novel, and how they were sneaking around each other in order to get information. The portrayal in the book of Tris being analyzed in order to find out what makes her Divergent, was much more emotional and intense than putting her through simulations in order to unlock a box. In the novel, Jeanine knows the secret that she wants to keep from the city, and that is why she is so destructive - not destructive in order to find out what is in the box.
Overall I was very disappointed with this film, so much so that I found myself struggling to pay attention. I enjoyed the novels and had high hopes for the films, but so far have neglected to meet my expectations. I will likely not continue watching the films, because they are not something I have an interest in anymore.
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