Another block buster movie based on a book is coming to theaters. Divergent will open in theaters March 21. The movie is based off of the bestselling trilogy written by Veronica Roth.
The story is set in a futuristic dystopian Chicago where all children are faced with a choice. They must choose one of five factions, or classes of society, to join for the remainder of their lives. Most children choose to stay with their family’s faction, but sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior struggles to imagine herself as Abnegation. However, after an inconclusive aptitude test, Beatrice learns she is divergent and does not fit perfectly into any faction.
After Beatrice joins her new faction, she quickly learns that being divergent is very dangerous; it could even get her killed. As she struggles to fit in and survive, Beatrice, now Tris, makes many new friends: some who die for her, some who betray her and one who may love her. As Tris adapts to her new life, she hears whispers of rebellion and an impending threat that could kill her and her family.
The movie is directed by a relatively unknown director named Neil Burger who specializes in small budget, highly creative films. Burger is known for directing Limitless (2011), The Illusionist (2006), and The Lucky Ones (2008) as well as a few other movies and TV shows. With such a successful film like Limitless, much can be expected from him.
The star of Divergent is actress Shailene Woodley who plays heroine Beatrice ‘Tris’ Prior. Woodley is best known for her role as Amy in The Secret Life of an American Teenager, a TV series that ran from 2008 to 2013. During her TV series she played a minor role in The Descendants (2011) and then in 2013 Woodley got her first lead role in a major movie as Aimee in The Spectacular Now. She also landed the lead role as Hazel in The Fault in Our Stars, another popular book moving to theaters, which comes out in June.
Theo James plays the challenging role of Four in Divergent. James is best known for the lead role in the TV series Golden Boy where he plays Detective Walter Clark. Before he stared in Golden Boy, James played smaller roles in Bedlam (2011) as Jed Harper and Underworld: Awakening (2012) as David.
Other stars in Divergent include Kate Winslet, Zoe Kravitz, Miles Teller, Jai Courtney, and Ashley Judd.
With all the excitement surrounding the movie, fans hope for the best. Divergent has been described as the next Hunger Games and I hope the movie will live up to this standard, if not surpass it.