Category: Movie Reviews

After what seems like the longest year ever, the third film installment of The Divergent Series was finally released!!  Allegiant is the film adaptation of the first 1/2 of the third novel of the same name written by Veronica Roth.  As announced, the second (and final) 1/2, titled The Divergent Series: Ascendant, will be released in March 2017.

SYNOPSIS: After the earth-shattering revelations of Insurgent, Tris must escape with Four beyond the wall that encircles Chicago, to finally discover the shocking truth of the world around them.

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As a reader of the novels, I’m one of those who search for differences in the films.  Many of you might have done the same for the second installment, Insurgent, where there were quite a few noticeable changes.  The same applies for Allegiant, but they actually work!

Despite a few minor character changes and several landscape differences between the film and novel, I actually enjoyed this one. Perhaps a bit more than Insurgent!  The escape scene was probably my favorite and was definitely a bad ass way to escape a horrible situation.  The world beyond the wall wasn’t at all what I imagined because I’d read the novels beforehand.  The world was described as an abandoned city with crumbled buildings, much like what the group has been used to.  In the film, however, the world is a toxic waste land that rains red, tinting the ground.  They’re rescued by members of the Bureau, where they’re taken for detoxification, which also wasn’t part of the novel.

Allegiant focuses on the genetic material of those involved in the experiment with the factions, along with those in failed experiments in other major cities. People were placed in these experiments to try and “heal” damaged genes in order to create those who are genetically pure, like Tris.  After discovering information regarding her mother and where she came from, Tris begins to trust David (Jeff Daniels), the director of the Bureau, despite Four’s warning not to.  When he discovers what the Bureau is actually up to, they try to erase him.  In an attempt to gain his sister’s trust again, Caleb tells her that Four has gone back to Chicago to try and stop the impending war between Evelyn and the factionless, and the group called the Allegiant, spearheaded by Johanna.

When someone betrays the group, Tris, Four, Caleb and Christina try to figure out who they can actually trust while finding a way to save the city they’ve called home, and expose the secrets held at the Bureau.

That being said, I thought this was a good installment!  Divergent is still my favorite of the three, but this one had great special effects, an abundance of bad assery, and a TON of Four!  The production value was great, considering the majority was filmed in front of a green screen.  Acting was great, and I’m still happy with the way this franchise was cast.  This film sets everything up for the fourth and final installment, and I can’t wait to see how they do it!  Just keep an open mind to the changes in the films.  There are always changes when a novel is made into a film, so just remember that it’s still the characters we know and love!

The Divergent Series: Allegiant was released in theaters on March 18, 2016.  Check it out and let me know what you thought!

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