Following the wildly popular novel by Veronica Roth, Divergent is about 17-year-old Tris Prior’s struggle for identity in a society divided into factions based on isolated character traits: Candor for the truthful, Erudite for the intellectual, Amity for the peaceful, Dauntless for the courageous, and Abnegation for the selfless. Once ‘of age,’ the children of the society undergo an aptitude test of sorts to determine the faction most correspondent to their personalities. Yet, however troublesome coming-of-age is for the average teenager, it is especially hard for Tris because she does not fit in. Gee, you might say. I don’t fit in either. But in Tris’ society, being different means being dangerous. Being different means you’re Divergent.

I attended an advanced screening of the movie. The plot has much of the standard components of young adult dystopia: an overbearing government, love in the midst of adversity, and the search for truth. I did notice, though, that there were several murmurs in the post-movie wake that proved that if you had not read the book, much was lost to you in the narration. This may have had something to do with the fact that the pacing was much too fleeting, especially for a movie that spanned two hours and 30 minutes. It was almost as if the film was mainly tailored for diehard fans who did in fact read the book and were able to identify what was happening when. The transitions were just not smooth enough to justify the quick cuts and the abrupt setting shifts.  Some characters’ names were even left out of the exposition until much later in the film, leaving viewers scratching their heads and trying to place a face to an unidentified name.

I stand by the notion that a good soundtrack is a key component of a good film. Despite having a big name like Hans Zimmer as an executive score producer, the heavily electronica soundtrack was a little incongruous, even in a ‘futuristic’ setting. In fact, as I left the theater, I found that I was without that feeling you get in the aftermath of a great movie; you know, the one that makes you want to go to wizarding school (in the case of Harry Potter) or have a magical ice queen sister (a la Frozen). Probably because at times, the film seemed like an overextended Ellie Goulding music video, instead of a movie with individualized background music.

The entire cast showcased many strong and emotional performances. Woodley managed to bring Tris’ character depth and realism, and Miles Teller (who plays Peter) was a refreshing source of comic relief. However, I think some might find that one of the major detractors of the film was the lack of expositional buildup concerning the two main leads’ relationship. Yet although weak, it is important to note that the romantic elements were not the focal point of the movie. Divergent’s essential message was to be brave, rely on yourself, and face your fears.

Readers of the book will ultimately find Divergent more appealing than those who did not. But who knows? The heart-racing action scenes and magnetic performances might rope you into the faction of fans.