The Divergent Trilogy (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1840309/) is a set of dystopian fiction films, based upon the novels by Veronica Roth.
I am not usually one for dystopian films, finding them to be a bit predictable and/or depressing. However, watching the first film of this trilogy I was instantaneously hooked. This film is full of everything you could want, from action and adventure, to intrigue and civil unrest, to good old romance and comedy. It is packed from start to finish with twists and turns, which grow and develop throughout the trilogy, shaking up and re-setting the dynamic of the storyline from one film to the next.
I love all of the films, and the interesting and unusual items and plot twists that they have throughout, however, I have to admit that I personally think these films do diminish some what as they go along – film one being my favourite and film three being my least. That is not to say that film two or three are not great, it is just that the first film is perfect in my eyes, where as there are parts of film two and three that I am not enamoured of.
I loved the concept in film two, Tris, Four and there companions having to fight even harder to survive, It is just some of the angsty points they added to the story were a bit weak (although I think that was due to points made in the first film and maintaining continuity).
As for the third movie, the concept and choices that they made, and all the twists and turns that they added to the plot are fantastic – not to mention that the special effects are brilliant. The thing that let this movie down for me though are the relationship aspects. In the first movie they set up the romantic interest perfectly, solidifying it in the second movie and allowing the characters to grow. However, the third movie sees changes in the relationship that just do not fit with everything that the characters have gone through. Broken or not, people do learn and grow, and they had already gone through this plot in the second movie and overcome it. To do a similar thing in the third movie seems repetitive and not fitting with the characters – not to mention it just degrades the validity and strength of the presented relationship – is this something that is always going to be a problem? For me it is more important that characters grow from film to film, and there are so many other plot twists that can be added without recycling the same ones a set of characters have already been through.
With that said though, I still love all three films, and have now watched them countless times, and I would strongly recommend that you watch these if you have not already. It is a shame that the production fell through for a fourth and final conclusion film – however the way in which the producers end these movies feels like they have concluded the story, so at least it doesn’t leave it on a cliff hanger like so many other cancelled films and tv series.