Movie Review: Divergent
I didn't even like the book! Why did I go to the movie? I don't know. Well, I guess any book you're not impressed with, go and watch the movie. Apparently it makes you like the book better. Here's the thing. The book was so mediocre, that I expected to feel the same way about the movie. After watching the movie, I realized that for them to have missed the value (which they did), it needed to have value to lose.
Another thing I realized about the movie: If you go, prepare for the death of masculinism. We've heard all about the "death of feminism" in different media offerings, right? Now I'm talking about the death of masculinism. Because this movie (and this book) are very empowering to women. There isn't a single woman in the book/movie (good or evil) who isn't powerful. But in the movie, the men are reduced to eye candy. Every single one of them. Including the main character's brother. He's even eye candy now. Four, previously so wonderful a person, loses all his charm to become the Ultimate Hot Guy. Part of that is because they took all of vulnerability away in the fear landscape scene. Part of its because they took all his sensitivity away throughout the entire thing. Will, previously so endearing, and loyal, is now Librarian Hot Guy. Peter, previously such a frightening sociopath, is now Debonaire Hot Guy. Eric, previously the jealous second-rater, is now Bad-Boy Hot Guy. Al, previously the complicated, pitiable person he was, is now Hot Guy With No Purpose. They have no characteristics. They are just eye candy. And some of them are like the Necco wafers of eye candy, anyway--sweet and enticing, but not even worth it.
A few thoughts about the movie's "controversies." First, I don't have a problem with the "incest." Because it isn't incest. Let me explain: there are some media sources that have expressed concern that Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort play brother and sister in this film, but will play lovers later this year in The Fault in Our Stars. They say it encourages incest. I'm sorry. A lot of actors have done that. Did you know that Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon played mother and son in Vanity Fair, but played lovers in Water for Elephants? Yeah. It's not real. They're actors. And if your teenage daughter doesn't realize that, there is a conversation you need to have. But a very different conversation.
Second: Age differences. In the book, Tris is sixteen, whereas Four is eighteen. Shailene Woodley is 22 (and looks younger), whereas Theo James is 29 (and looks 29). Their age is never said in the movie, so teenagers that haven't read the book (as the media is concerned) may think that a relationship between a fifteen-year-old and a thirty-year-old is not only okay, but in fact, steamy. I can see the concern here. Maybe they should have either cast it differently, or included the conversation about age differences that did occur in the book.
Third (and related): Teacher-student relationships. Four is Tris's instructor. And they have a relationship. Again, in the context of the book, in their society, sixteen is essentially adulthood for all points and purposes. So, it would be more akin to dating your college TA--of questionable ethics, but not really of questionable morality. Let me take this moment to assure you that when I was a college TA, I never once dated my student. Just had to solidify that. The book also includes Four telling Tris that they shouldn't really pursue their relationship until she is done with Dauntless Initiation. What's more questionable is a spoiler. So, yeah.
SPOILER
In Tris's final Dauntless "exam," they face simulations of their deepest, darkest fears. One of hers is physical intimacy. In the simulation, it specifically takes the form of with Four. In the book, she faces this fear by telling Simulation-Four "no" because she isn't ready for that. Which simulation-him respects. In the movie, for reasons that I have theories about, but have decided not to get into today, this fear is transmuted into her being afraid of him forcing himself on her. She is forced to knee him in the man parts and fight him off. Well, it's a good thing the Dauntless faction is crashed later that day, because I could see some very solid investigations being necessitated as a follow-up when they ask him, "Why, exactly, is one of your student's deepest, darkest fears that you will rape her?" I don't even think even the Dauntless would fail to see some red flags there.
SPOILER DONE!
A few fridge thoughts (things that come after sleeping on the book and/or movie for a few days)
1. Four's occupation--he's a Dauntless trainer, who appears to specialize in administering fear simulations. Simply put? He's a professional torture artist.
2. SPOILER I'm calling horse hockey on the reasoning for Four not being with Tris in the final battle. His divergence is weaker, so he's a better test subject for the Erudite's Anti-Divergence Serum? What? So they don't just try it on both of them? What would it hurt? They don't want to test all divergence strengths? You just want her to kick butt without a male so that you can hail your feminism. Admit it.
3. Tris is disturbingly aggressive. And not in a good way.
4. SPOILER The switch-up for the movie in the end of how to unbrainwash our male love interest. The change takes it from a manifestation of Tris's fear landscape which she conquers, to a manifestation of Four's fear landscape, which he then fails to conquer. Think about it. It's true.
5. SPOILER The entire entering Four's fear landscape thing is a subtle way of telling tweens that the best way to have a romantic understanding of one another is to do drugs together.
The movie had really great costumes. Fantastic in fact. I will give it that. It had really nice production design. And the acting wasn't bad. Just not that great on what it might teach tweens. And removes all dystopic value Divergent had (I never thought I'd admit it had any).
2 stars (I think I'm easier on movies than books...hmm. Oh well).
Another thing I realized about the movie: If you go, prepare for the death of masculinism. We've heard all about the "death of feminism" in different media offerings, right? Now I'm talking about the death of masculinism. Because this movie (and this book) are very empowering to women. There isn't a single woman in the book/movie (good or evil) who isn't powerful. But in the movie, the men are reduced to eye candy. Every single one of them. Including the main character's brother. He's even eye candy now. Four, previously so wonderful a person, loses all his charm to become the Ultimate Hot Guy. Part of that is because they took all of vulnerability away in the fear landscape scene. Part of its because they took all his sensitivity away throughout the entire thing. Will, previously so endearing, and loyal, is now Librarian Hot Guy. Peter, previously such a frightening sociopath, is now Debonaire Hot Guy. Eric, previously the jealous second-rater, is now Bad-Boy Hot Guy. Al, previously the complicated, pitiable person he was, is now Hot Guy With No Purpose. They have no characteristics. They are just eye candy. And some of them are like the Necco wafers of eye candy, anyway--sweet and enticing, but not even worth it.
A few thoughts about the movie's "controversies." First, I don't have a problem with the "incest." Because it isn't incest. Let me explain: there are some media sources that have expressed concern that Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort play brother and sister in this film, but will play lovers later this year in The Fault in Our Stars. They say it encourages incest. I'm sorry. A lot of actors have done that. Did you know that Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon played mother and son in Vanity Fair, but played lovers in Water for Elephants? Yeah. It's not real. They're actors. And if your teenage daughter doesn't realize that, there is a conversation you need to have. But a very different conversation.
Second: Age differences. In the book, Tris is sixteen, whereas Four is eighteen. Shailene Woodley is 22 (and looks younger), whereas Theo James is 29 (and looks 29). Their age is never said in the movie, so teenagers that haven't read the book (as the media is concerned) may think that a relationship between a fifteen-year-old and a thirty-year-old is not only okay, but in fact, steamy. I can see the concern here. Maybe they should have either cast it differently, or included the conversation about age differences that did occur in the book.
Third (and related): Teacher-student relationships. Four is Tris's instructor. And they have a relationship. Again, in the context of the book, in their society, sixteen is essentially adulthood for all points and purposes. So, it would be more akin to dating your college TA--of questionable ethics, but not really of questionable morality. Let me take this moment to assure you that when I was a college TA, I never once dated my student. Just had to solidify that. The book also includes Four telling Tris that they shouldn't really pursue their relationship until she is done with Dauntless Initiation. What's more questionable is a spoiler. So, yeah.
SPOILER
In Tris's final Dauntless "exam," they face simulations of their deepest, darkest fears. One of hers is physical intimacy. In the simulation, it specifically takes the form of with Four. In the book, she faces this fear by telling Simulation-Four "no" because she isn't ready for that. Which simulation-him respects. In the movie, for reasons that I have theories about, but have decided not to get into today, this fear is transmuted into her being afraid of him forcing himself on her. She is forced to knee him in the man parts and fight him off. Well, it's a good thing the Dauntless faction is crashed later that day, because I could see some very solid investigations being necessitated as a follow-up when they ask him, "Why, exactly, is one of your student's deepest, darkest fears that you will rape her?" I don't even think even the Dauntless would fail to see some red flags there.
SPOILER DONE!
A few fridge thoughts (things that come after sleeping on the book and/or movie for a few days)
1. Four's occupation--he's a Dauntless trainer, who appears to specialize in administering fear simulations. Simply put? He's a professional torture artist.
2. SPOILER I'm calling horse hockey on the reasoning for Four not being with Tris in the final battle. His divergence is weaker, so he's a better test subject for the Erudite's Anti-Divergence Serum? What? So they don't just try it on both of them? What would it hurt? They don't want to test all divergence strengths? You just want her to kick butt without a male so that you can hail your feminism. Admit it.
3. Tris is disturbingly aggressive. And not in a good way.
4. SPOILER The switch-up for the movie in the end of how to unbrainwash our male love interest. The change takes it from a manifestation of Tris's fear landscape which she conquers, to a manifestation of Four's fear landscape, which he then fails to conquer. Think about it. It's true.
5. SPOILER The entire entering Four's fear landscape thing is a subtle way of telling tweens that the best way to have a romantic understanding of one another is to do drugs together.
The movie had really great costumes. Fantastic in fact. I will give it that. It had really nice production design. And the acting wasn't bad. Just not that great on what it might teach tweens. And removes all dystopic value Divergent had (I never thought I'd admit it had any).
2 stars (I think I'm easier on movies than books...hmm. Oh well).
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