The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015)

[K1stpierre]

Discuss Katriss

[CJohn]

I thought it was better than the first. Shailene Woodley is a tremendous actress. She was fantastic. Miles Teller is a natural douche and he was also great. It is a shame he disappears in the 1st act only to return in the 3rd one. Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts don't have much to do but they were both good. Theo James is far better here than in the first movie. Ansel Elgort sucked in the 1st act (not because he was bad, but because his character was basically a pussy) but he is great in the 3rd one (yes, he is also nowhere to be found in the 2nd act).

 

I liked the changes they made to the book, especially the final reveal. The message is different. They correct that in a way that Allegiant actually makes sense. The simulation scenes were spectacular in IMAX 3D. In fact, it may be worth to see the movie in 3D or IMAX 3D just because of those scenes alone. 

[Wormow]

I liked the first Divergent movie, actually. I rated it a B. Insurgent? Not so much.

In terms of book to movie adaptions, there were quite a few changes. This would be closer to Percy Jackson in terms of keeping a faithful adaption, but that's not what I'm reviewing the movie on.

The movie is frustrating at times. It's hard to really trust a scene on whether it's actually real, or if it was a dream sequence or a simulation (this gimmick is used several times throughout the movie). Maybe this is intentional, but it didn't work for me. Other strange directorial choices includes constant close-ups of Tris' face, spinning the camera around people in certain scenes and really cheesy 'zooming' in affects. That, including the incredibly cheesy dialogue (poor Kate Winslet, whose subject to most of this) made me unable to take the film seriously and my friends and I found ourselves laughing at scenes that were intended to be serious.

If you can ignore logic and think of this as maybe a film aimed at children, than you'll possibly find some form of entertainment.

[CJohn]

I liked the first Divergent movie, actually. I rated it a B. Insurgent? Not so much.

In terms of book to movie adaptions, there were quite a few changes. This would be closer to Percy Jackson in terms of keeping a faithful adaption, but that's not what I'm reviewing the movie on.

The movie is frustrating at times. It's hard to really trust a scene on whether it's actually real, or if it was a dream sequence or a simulation (this gimmick is used several times throughout the movie). Maybe this is intentional, but it didn't work for me. Other strange directorial choices includes constant close-ups of Tris' face, spinning the camera around people in certain scenes and really cheesy 'zooming' in affects. That, including the incredibly cheesy dialogue (poor Kate Winslet, whose subject to most of this) made me unable to take the film seriously and my friends and I found ourselves laughing at scenes that were intended to be serious.

If you can ignore logic and think of this as maybe a film aimed at children, than you'll possibly find some form of entertainment.

LOL really? And this is from someone who liked Mockingjay Part 1 which is boring garbage? Lol.

 

Can't people simply have different opinions?

Edited March 19, 2015 by CJohn

[Wormow]

LOL really? And this is from someone who liked Mockingjay Part 1 which is boring garbage? Lol.

Why are you bringing Mockingjay - Part 1 into this and making digs at it? When did I ever mention Mockingjay?

 

Can't people simply have different opinions?

Can you stop being a hypocrite? Lmfao.

Maybe next time if I dislike a movie that CJohn is crazy obsessed with, I won't post my opinion in the REVIEW THAT MOVIE section of the forums so he doesn't get butthurt 

[Alpha]

Can't people simply have different opinions?

Oh, CJ.

[The Panda]

It's more entertaining than the first, but that really isn't hard.  There are way to many logical loopholes, many character actions don't seem to make sense, with the exception of Woodley all of the performances are honed in and fairly one note, even though it was more entertaining than Mockingjay Part 1 I can't rate it higher than it simply because as lazy as it was, there was still quality put into the technical aspects and it may eventually pay off.  I'll say it's fine to go see, you won't be to disappointed in how you spent your money, but I wouldn't go out of your way to see it.  C

[Ethan Hunt]

Good movie, great performances by Woodly, Elgort and Teller. Those three really hold this movie together.

A-

[Kalo]

Wow, big surprise, it improves upon the first in nearly every way. Shailene steps up her acting, and is even better than in Divergent the action sequences are far more intense, gritty, and much more frequent. diverges deeper into sci-fi, much less focus on romance.. there is literally a mysterious box in this movie too.. the build up may be a bit better than the pay off there and the reveal is obvious, and kind like you had to have a message from the makers to figure this out? but everything around it was so exciting and interesting that it makes it a minor setback, also the set pieces are extraordinary and very imaginative. the score is great too. and nearly every character is fleshed out more with added complexity, the good guy may not always to the right thing or vice versa. while it has some romance, it uses it for us to contact with the characters and is not a major plot point here. the odd pacing of the first is gone too, and the scenes feel more meaty. also all the scenes that didn't make since in the trailer do in the movie (which imo this movie had awful advertising) seriously this movie is fantastic, and may be my new favorite YA adult series. ignore the critics, ignore everyone and see it for yourself. I am now really excited for what happens next.

 

My grade A- 

Edited March 27, 2015 by Kalo

[Ethan Hunt]

Wow, big surprise, it improves upon the first in nearly every way. Shailene steps up her acting, and is even better than in Divergent the action sequences are far more intense, gritty, and much more frequent. diverges deeper into sci-fi, much less focus on romance.. there is literally a mysterious box in this movie too.. the build up may be a bit better than the pay off there and the reveal is obvious, and kind like you had to have a message from the makers to figure this out? but everything around it was so exciting and interesting that it makes it a minor setback, also the set pieces are extraordinary and very imaginative. the score is great too. and nearly every character is fleshed out more with added complexity, the good guy may not always to the right thing or vice versa. while it has some romance, it uses it for us to contact with the characters and is not a major plot point here. the odd pacing of the first is gone too, and the scenes feel more meaty. also all the scenes that didn't make since in the trailer do in the movie (which imo this movie had awful advertising) seriously this movie is fantastic, and may be my new favorite YA adult series. ignore the critics, ignore everyone and see it for yourself. I am now really excited for what happens next.

My grade A- (A?)

Yeah, the only character I really think that needed a little more focus was Tobias/Four ( but then again Theo James doesn't compare to the rest of the core actors)

The next book was horrible, so I really hope they take creative license and come up with something that's at least near as good as this one.

[Kalo]

Yeah, the only character I really think that needed a little more focus was Tobias/Four ( but then again Theo James doesn't compare to the rest of the core actors)

The next book was horrible, so I really hope they take creative license and come up with something that's at least near as good as this one.

 

 I agree Theo's, character could have had a bit more depth. I think he did a decent job with what he had though. 

[Goffe]

Color me surprised, it was actually decent and managed to partially make sense at the same time.

Sure, the script is total mess, the characters are inconsistent, dialogue is so bad that makes you feel sorry for the actors, it has cheap effects despite budget of 110m, plots that don't go anywhere, first 40-50 minutes could have easily been cut of the finished movie and so so so many plot holes, like seriously, what were the writers thinking? and I'm not one of those guys who love to criticize plot holes in movies. The core premise is still rotten, I loathe idea of how all evil in the world comes from intelligence and logic, when in reality it would be just the opposite.

On the positive side, it was decently directed, the action was good (especially the sequence in the beginning), we care slightly more about Tris and Four, and their relationship is more fleshed out.

What was just a better directed Divergent in the first 40-50 minutes goes to another level when she surrenders, it becomes quite enjoyable, I love how everyone is not a black & white character in that section of the movie (just to fuck up everything at the end, again) and the whole twist idea is pretty damn great.

50/100

Edited March 26, 2015 by Goffe

[Kalo]

a 50/100 is decent?

[Goffe]

a 50/100 is decent?

Compared to the god awful Divergent and general YA adaptations, yes is is.

You guys give good scores way way too easily

Edited March 26, 2015 by Goffe

[Ethan Hunt]

Compared to the god awful Divergent and general YA adaptations, yes is is.

You guys give good scores way way too easily

You give bad scores way way to easily.

[Kalo]

Compared to the god awful Divergent and general YA adaptations, yes is is.

You guys give good scores way way too easily

 

I give an A- pretty often. anything higher is very rare for me. I just usually don't see a movie inless I think I will like it. I took a risk with this one though and it was a pleasant surprise. I am also aware that this is not by any means a groundbreaking movie, it just resonated well with me and I enjoyed it alot. and the acting was nearly on Hunger Games par. so that was a big + 

Edited March 27, 2015 by Kalo

[Goffe]

You give bad scores way way to easily.

well, I watch a lot bad movies.

[cozmeesah]

I give an A- pretty often. anything higher is very rare for me. I just usually don't see a movie inless I think I will like it.

This is me. Which is why I don't bother posting any reviews of new movies in here. I'd probably give everything a B+ and above.

[Asyulus]

Better than its predecessor.

B-

[Water Bottle]

Divergent ended with Four and Tris on the train, heading towards the wall. An ending with such promise largely because I thought it meant they were going to the outside world. So much potential.

 

My problem with the beginning: Instead they go to the farm people and then head back to the city. Okay, I told myself, I can live with this if this is the story Insurgent wants to tell. But damn if I wasn't disappointed.

 

My problem with the middle: Over-reliance of nightmares in the beginning means that the whole sim thing which bends reality is undermined. Now Divergent and Insurgent are pretty big on reality and it's relationship with the characters but I feel like the movie would have been a lot better if they had cut out the nightmares. Plus they could have used that time in the movie to develop the world/story better: so much was compressed. So many side characters which could have been developed better...so many sub-plots that needed more time to really work.

 

My problem with the end: I like Triss' reaction (and her friends) as well as Jeanine's reaction. Everybody else? What the hell. I could understand some of the guards following her orders without question but damn it: some of them should have at least questioned if they were really following the right leader. And then when the whole society learns that everything they knew was a lie, that they had been all a part of a giant science experiment, they weren't alone in the world, and that the society they had all grown up believing in was no longer necessary...I could see some people being relieved but just about everyone? Like what the fuck? That's not realistic at all.

 

Four's mom killing Jeanine was BOSS though.

 

B-