maddiedavis
staff writer

I am skeptical of books turned into movies. I was unsure of how I felt about the film adaption “Divergent” after seeing it because it was unlike anything that I had expected. And no, I did not commit an unforgivable sin by seeing the movie before I read the book.
The way the movie attempted to bring the story to life wasn’t accurate to the feel of the book, and the sets didn’t seem quite the same as described in the book.
The whole thing seemed a bit cheap and unrealistic, even for a dystopian film.
Tris seemed whiny, not defiant, and half the time looked like she was about to cry for some reason unbeknownst to the audience.
There are scenes and small parts of the film that are acceptable, and the fact that the film adaption stays mostly true to the book is desirable.
However, most of it did not live up to expectations.
Overall, the movie gave the book no justice.
So here’s my advice: if you haven’t already, read the book, read it. Then, see which one you like better.

sheilagregory
staff writer

Yes, it has been called desperate. Yes, it bears striking resemblance to “The Hunger Games.” Yes, it has adopted “the female hero with the attractive man who falls head-over-heels in love with her making all other females wonder what they are doing wrong” plot-line.
But “Divergent” manages to stay true to the book and brings the dystopian future to life. It creates suspense and heart-pounding moments with visually dynamic shots and mind-bending fear landscapes described in the book.
Leaving out characters is the major flaw of this movie. But what the story lacks in supporting characters, performances by Shailene Woodley and Theo James pull through, bringing their romance to life and staying true to the novel’s story-line.
One of the high points for me was the prudent casting of aesthetically pleasing Theo James. I enjoyed the movie overall and would generally recommend it to fans of the actual book itself. But dystopian story lovers would probably like it, too.