After discovering the secret of their society, that it was planned for the socially divergent to go from outcasts to leaders, Tris (Shailene Woodley), Four (Theo James) and their pubescent posse escape the walled city of Chicago, leaving behind everything they thought they knew.
Once outside, they again learn that all is not as it seems and they’re not any closer to real answers.
We say, “The Divergent series is dying a slow death.”
HOWE: Well here we are into part three of the Divergent series and just like The Hunger Games franchise, the movie company thought it would be a good idea to break the final installment into two parts.
Like most book-to-movie crossovers, there is so much information to cram into an hour-and-a-half film. I’m sure it has nothing to do with ripping the paying public off.
TAYLOR: They wouldn’t dare! And thank goodness too. Now every excruciatingly pointless plot point can be milked until dry. More moody staring, more time for running, more time for things to crumble. I’m sure every fan of the series will be pleased that there is more Divergent to love, or not. Let’s not forget, diehards, how the second film diverged from the novels. With Allegiant, at least the nonsense is true to form and is, in part, more visually stimulating than previous outings.
HOWE: Allegiant is probably the best of the three films I have seen so far. There is more action. There are more fight scenes and it does make you feel a little like Tris herself, in the fact you don’t know who to trust.
I will say this, between the Divergent series and The Hunger Games, I am enjoying this a lot more. It may not be as grand in the special effects, or promoted as much, but I find the concept and the acting, as a whole, a lot more rounded out. Don’t get me wrong, neither franchise is fantastic, nor do either make me want to watch them again, but if I had to pick one of them, it would be this.
TAYLOR: Those are crazy words! This is the most mind-numbingly boring movie franchise going, dystopian or not. It’s also the silliest.
I know I said a couple months ago that The 5th Wave was the worst teenage sci-fi franchise, but I was still able to give that film at least one finger out of five. I have no fingers left for Allegiant. Even fans of this series are having a hard time liking this one.
– Taylor gives Allegiant 0 chosen out of 5.
– Howe gives it 3 temporary tattoos out of 5.
– Reel Reviews with Brian Taylor and Peter Howe appears in The Morning Star every Friday and Sunday.