One choice can transform you-or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves--and herself--while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love. Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable--and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships. Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.
Insurgent Movie Reviews
Setting your expectations low for a movie is always a good idea. That way you never come out disappointed. With Insurgent, I figured it was just the same film as Divergent, just rehashed. It's not exactly a fresh and bold new idea, but it did feel different than the first. And definitely better. With newcomers Octavia Spencer and Naomi Watts the film gets elevated by terrific performances across the board. The cast is great but the CGI doesn't look as fake and the story is less(ish) confusing than Divergent. I will say it didn't bother me at all later in the movie, but it was quite funny and awkward to see Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, and Theo James all with Shailene Woodley on screen together, considering they have each been a film love interest.
The main problem with Divergent was the screenplay. I thought it was too confusing for someone who wasn't familiar with the book series. While Insurgent will be puzzling for newcomers, I felt less confused this time around than last. There's a lot going on. Whole lot of characters that fall in and out of the story without much to do at times, but the performances saved the film. I think if you try to forget about the unexplainable elements of the film your viewing experience is enhanced. For example, I don't remember too much about Tobias' back story or even the exact intentions of Jeanine, but I let the movie play out without complaining. Jai Courtney's character, though terminator like, was an improvement over the one-note character in Divergent. I also thought the chemistry between the leads of Miles Teller, Theo James, and Shailene Woodley were much better this time around. Woodley one again gives an emotionally powerful performance, even if not all of it is actually real, it felt legit. I keep talking about her ability to cry on screen but it's true, the woman can shed a tear.
I think one of the main problems with the film is the inconsistencies with some character decisions. I didn't read the books but I just became baffled with some of the directions that Miles Teller and Ansel Elgort's characters. There is too much back and forth for my liking. Kate Winslet and Naomi Watts both steal each of their respected scenes. And although for the former there isn't a whole lot to do, I enjoyed watching her character arc unfold. The ending is a big animal to tackle. And without spoilers I cant talk too much about it, but I will say I was pretty indifferent. I almost feel like they could end the franchise right there. But at the same time I guess there is more of this world to explore, no pun intended. So with a few unneeded characters and with plenty of confusing character decisions, Insurgent turns out to be an okay sci-fi. It's nowhere near as poor as the reviews and much better than the first, but there's still plenty to improve on for the next.
George Miller revises his ideological construct in the most exhilarating, dreadful, and striking manner this time. For all I know, the audiences spoil themselves with "cinematic orgasms," if that's a thing, throughout the movie. They're not afraid of the porcupine-trucks, maybe a little on the edge of madness, but that goes without saying. Here's a hint as to what it was like: Bane and Miranda beating the beep out of war-painted, anti-Christian, Hulu tribe—only this time, it's some dark, full-raged action with mountain bikes, and trucks, and springy tentacles moving idiotic half-Willy, half-Wonka The Da Vinci Code Bettany's horrendous versions. Miller puts his tribal culture in the crux of action, which reveals an unorthodox, authoritarian, and devout portrayal of enmity. The sport-arena action is complemented by prayers in Citadel, banging of drums, skeleton-wheels, and skeleton-feels. It has a bizarre feeling—you're dredged into the modernity of Prometheus and antediluvian era of the Exodus.
More than anything—Max's deafening seriousness, Furiosa's bald-grace, armless-attraction, sense of responsibility, and and absolute congeniality to the role (always imposingly remarkable,) religious affirmation, banging, puffing, booming, clatter, splash, tick-tick, boom—the "fantasized-realism" behind all the get-off-my-property-you-crazy-lunatic is what gives you the honesty-chills. The stunts, the effort, the don't-care-about-ourselves-just-love-the-movie-please pledge, and the extraordinarily enormous—480 hours of footage into 120 minutes of freaking-awesome warfare—blows me off of my seat in the cinema to the pale, scorching blaze of the sun, amidst the crazy-eyes of this action-genre Orange is the New Black. Even the over-editing has that medieval, darkly comical feel to it, just like 300 for example (can't think of another movie with such aberrant effects, but such positive response.)
But like any other movie, there are points where you start questioning yourself. Nothing seems to justify Max & Furiosa's relationship, mutual combats, strategies, certainty of plans, and stuff like that. But by then, the movie's not about logic or sense anymore; it's more about seeing what you wouldn't in ages. With such a brilliant ensemble—I mean it was pretty good for a solely madness-based movie—you couldn't care less about the abacus-loving dumb-toads sitting in exactly the middle seats of the theater to get the most balanced view of the screen, and judge the minus-plus of the 120 minute long clip. I feel like reporting their stupidity to the CIA—enough with the pen and paper!
Mad Max comes equitably with the characters, their roles, and the titular projections. Each name is qualified by its corresponding characteristic with the character in the movie—Spikers, Rictus Erectus et cetera. This complements the heartfelt glow to the movie itself—everything's done for the movie. They didn't feel any need to impose worldly sense into it, which is the best part, because that miniature world seemed pretty damn believable to me—but why? Maybe it were those religious beats, maybe the dragon-roars of engines, maybe it was just the psychological effect. Whatever it was, it did what it planned to.
Mad Max: Fury Road puts forth the idea that there's so much more to combats than mere combats—MMFR incorporates belligerent, spoiling-for-a-fight attitude, oppressed landscape, estranged and barbaric drug-lords, heavy-weight weaponry and wheelers, and poster-paint bombings. The intensified red-blaze of fire, the sandstorm-effect, the preposterous turn of events, the nonsensical touch of things, and the wacky script—everything wrong with the movie is everything good about the movie. Mad Max: Fury Road revises the post-apocalyptic scene—utter dryness of region and minds—and uses the irritating sense of that dryness into a rigorous will to get past it with victory—Fury Road's victory. It's not about the comparative analysis of protagonists and the white-witty-wackos, it's about what's happening throughout. And when it happens, you're only remark is: "What a lovely day.