Insurgent (2015)

Insurgent (2015)

The Divergent Series: Insurgent (also known simply as Insurgent) is a 2015 American science fiction adventure film directed by Robert Schwentke, based on Insurgent, the second book in the Divergent trilogy by Veronica Roth. It is the sequel to the 2014 film Divergent and the second installment in The Divergent Series, produced by Lucy Fisher, Pouya Shabazian and Douglas Wick, with a screenplay by Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman and Mark Bomback. Schwentke took over from Neil Burger as director, with Burger serving as the executive producer of the film. Along with the first film's returning cast, led by Shailene Woodley and Theo James, the sequel features supporting actors Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Suki Waterhouse, Rosa Salazar, Daniel Dae Kim, Jonny Weston, Emjay Anthony, and Keiynan Lonsdale.

The plot of Insurgent takes place five days after the previous installment and continues to follow Dauntless soldier Tris Prior; Tris and Four, her Dauntless instructor, are on the run after evading a coup from Erudite faction leader Jeanine and the rest of her faction. The faction system in post-apocalyptic Chicago is crumbling, and everyone is desperate for power — and answers. Filming began on May 27, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia, before concluding on September 6, 2014.

The Divergent Series: Insurgent was released on March 20, 2015 in the United States in the IMAX 3D format as well as regular 3D and 2D. Critical reaction to the film was mixed: some have considered the film to be an improvement over its predecessor, with reviewers highlighting the visual style, action sequences, and Woodley's performance, but the film still received a significant amount of negative criticism, mainly focused on its storyline. The film was a commercial success, grossing $52.2 million in its opening weekend and reaching the #1 spot at the box-office. During its release in theaters, the film earned over US$297 million worldwide

Storyline

One choice can transform you-or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships. Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

Plot

The story begins five days after the assault on the Abnegation faction by Erudite leader Jeanine and her mind-controlled Dauntless soldiers. Jeanine has declared martial law and that the Divergents – those with the qualities of multiple factions – and those allied with them are the enemy. Among the Abnegation wreckage, Dauntless leader Eric and his platoon recover a five-sided box: each side has a faction symbol. Jeanine presumes it contains data from the city's founders and the means to end the Divergence problem. As only a Divergent is capable of opening the box, she orders the capture of all Divergents.

Tris, Four, Peter, and Caleb hide within the Amity compound. Soon after, Eric and his fleet arrive to test all the occupants for Divergence. Peter gives up the group's location as Tris, Four, and Caleb escape and board a train headed into Factionless territory. After fights with the Factionless aboard, Four reveals his name – Tobias Eaton – which prompts the Factionless to stand down and reply that they have been searching for him.

Four, Tris and Caleb are given amnesty at Factionless. There, Tris and Caleb discover that the Factionless leader is Four's mother, Evelyn. She suggests that Dauntless and Factionless should ally against Erudite, but Four declines. The next morning, the three leave Factionless for Candor to meet up with the remaining Dauntless; during the trek, Caleb tells Tris that he cannot continue with them and goes in a different direction. Upon arrival, Tris and Four are arrested and brought before Candor leader Jack Kang, who intends to deliver them to Jeanine. However, Four pleads for Jack to conduct a trial in Candor with the use of truth serum. During the ordeal, Four communicates his motives and is absolved. Tris tearfully admits her guilt in shooting and killing Will, which angers Christina.

Candor is attacked by the Dauntless who have sided with Eric, and many people are shot with a pellets of new simulation serum. Tris is captured by Eric who learns she has a Divergence reading of 100%, making her the perfect subject to open the box. Eric arrests Tris, but Four and the Factionless allies arrive to save her. After a brief exchange, Four shoots Eric in the head for the murder of hundreds of people. Back at Erudite, Jeanine, frustrated that none of the Divergent subjects have survived the simulation trials required to open the box, is approached by Peter, who pledges his loyalty to Erudite, and suggests the best way to get Tris to surrender is by exploiting her humanity.

Back at the Factionless base, Four reluctantly agrees with Evelyn that war is inevitable and that they need to prepare. Jeanine activates the pellets, causing Christina and two others to repeatedly chant that Tris must turn herself in or more death will follow, as they step closer and closer to the edge of a tall structure. Overcome by guilt, Tris decides to turn herself in. That night, she and Four sleep together, and then she quietly slips away.

Upon arrival at the Erudite headquarters, Tris is immediately arrested. She agrees to undergo the trials provided that the suicides cease. Tris overcomes four of the trials, however, when her vitals drop, Jeanine reluctantly halts the simulation so that Tris can rest. However, Tris discovers that they have captured Four. She fails the final trial and her vital signs cease. Her body is wheeled over to Four's cell so the latter can mourn, but when she awakens, Peter assists Four in overpowering the guards, revealing that he had faked her death by injecting her with a sleep serum. Tris is determined to open the box and find the truth about its message; she and Four head to the simulation room, while Peter returns to the control room to secretly grant them security access.

Overcoming the final trial, Tris successfully opens the box. A woman explains that the walled city and faction system is actually an experiment they devised, that the Divergents are actually the success of the experiment, and that the world is waiting outside for them to return to humanity. Realizing she has lost all her power, Jeanine orders the box buried and that Four and Tris are to be executed. However, the Factionless army busts into the simulation room to rescue Tris and Four. Jeanine and Caleb are arrested. The message from the box is broadcast to the entire city. Tris is hailed as a hero by the masses, eager to explore the world beyond the wall. As Jeanine looks out from her cell, she states that after 200 years since the city was enclosed, there is no telling what awaits them beyond it. Evelyn appears behind her and tells her that she will never find out as she raises a gun to the back of Jeanine's head and shoots.

Cast

• See also: List of The Divergent trilogy characters
• Shailene Woodley as Beatrice "Tris" Prior
• Theo James as Tobias "Four" Eaton
• Octavia Spencer as Johanna Reyes
• Jai Courtney as Eric Coulter
• Ray Stevenson as Marcus Eaton
• Zoë Kravitz as Christina
• Miles Teller as Peter Hayes
• Ansel Elgort as Caleb Prior
• Maggie Q as Tori Wu
• Naomi Watts as Evelyn Johnson-Eaton
• Kate Winslet as Jeanine Matthews
• Mekhi Phifer as Max
• Daniel Dae Kim as Jack Kang
• Keiynan Lonsdale as Uriah Pedrad
• Ashley Judd as Natalie Prior
• Suki Waterhouse as Marlene
• Janet McTeer as Edith Prior
• Rosa Salazar as Lynn
• Emjay Anthony as Hector
• Jonny Weston as Edgar

User Review

"Insurgent" continues shortly after the events of the first movie, having Jeanine finding a box that can only be opened by a Divergent and searching for all the Divergents (Which was previously shown in the trailers.) and also discovering that not all Divergents are equal as some Divergents are better than the others and obviously, the latter was Tris.

Honestly, I was surprised that I liked this better than the first since I knew that I had lower my expectations for it because I knew that the first one was horrible and also because I had no faith for the new director "Robert Schwentke" who's known for R.I.P.D which was absolutely awful. This movie had good moments, but the movie was mostly a bore. The cinematography was okay, acting was good but wasn't enough to feel attached to the characters. (I didn't feel like connecting with the protagonist.)

VERDICT: I'm not saying that I didn't like the movie, but it really could've been better. I didn't like it that MUCH because everything was too surreal. Everything was too coincidental.