Insurgent
Director: Robert Schwentke
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort
In “Insurgent”, the next chapter of the “Divergent” series, Tris must face an impossible choice. War looms on the horizon, and a powerful enemy is plotting the demise of all Divergents. As the darkness closes in around her, Tris must choose between surrendering to fear and or embracing her new identity as a Divergent and rising from the ashes to protect the people she loves before the darkness consumes them all.
Much like in the preceding film, pain is a significant theme in “Insurgent”. Although she is not to blame for her parents' tragic fate, Tris is haunted by their death and the residual pain that lingers in the aftermath of that tragic loss. The pain of watching her parents demise is transformed into a fear…a raw and excruciating fear that is manifested in her nightmares. Although the pain of her parents’ death is consuming her, Tris refuses to share this burden with anyone…not even Four.The irony of Tris’s journey is that even when she is lost in the darkness alone, Four is there to protect her. Tris's peace comes when she learns to relinquish the pain and guilt from her parents' death and forgive herself. Her strength comes from the realization that she is not the flaw of humanity that Jeanine believes her to be, but rather, the catalyst which will ensure that her people survive.
While Tris’s pain comes from her parents’ death, Four’s pain, while stemming from the same source, comes from the excruciating memories of his past that are connected with both of his parents; memories that Four has locked deep inside of himself because he can't bear to remember the abuse that his father inflicted on him as a child and the fact that while he grew up believing his mother had died, in truth, she had abandoned him and left him at the mercy of his tyrannical father. The only thing that Four allows himself to care about is Tris. Although he doesn't trust his mother, Four’s desire to protect Tris compels him to reach out to his mother and reluctantly accept her as an ally. While Tris is willing to sacrifice herself in order to ensure that Four and the others survive, Four is likewise willing to sacrifice everything…even his own life…to protect the one person he loves: Tris.
“Insurgent” is a fun, action-packed film. The story, while a bit convoluted at times, does have moments of sincere emotion, particularly between Tris and Four, that allow the viewer to connect with the characters. The casting overall is exceptional, especially for Theo James and Shailene Woodley who play Four and Tris. If you enjoy the “Divergent” series, this film is worth watching.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Robert Schwentke
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ansel Elgort
In “Insurgent”, the next chapter of the “Divergent” series, Tris must face an impossible choice. War looms on the horizon, and a powerful enemy is plotting the demise of all Divergents. As the darkness closes in around her, Tris must choose between surrendering to fear and or embracing her new identity as a Divergent and rising from the ashes to protect the people she loves before the darkness consumes them all.
Much like in the preceding film, pain is a significant theme in “Insurgent”. Although she is not to blame for her parents' tragic fate, Tris is haunted by their death and the residual pain that lingers in the aftermath of that tragic loss. The pain of watching her parents demise is transformed into a fear…a raw and excruciating fear that is manifested in her nightmares. Although the pain of her parents’ death is consuming her, Tris refuses to share this burden with anyone…not even Four.The irony of Tris’s journey is that even when she is lost in the darkness alone, Four is there to protect her. Tris's peace comes when she learns to relinquish the pain and guilt from her parents' death and forgive herself. Her strength comes from the realization that she is not the flaw of humanity that Jeanine believes her to be, but rather, the catalyst which will ensure that her people survive.
While Tris’s pain comes from her parents’ death, Four’s pain, while stemming from the same source, comes from the excruciating memories of his past that are connected with both of his parents; memories that Four has locked deep inside of himself because he can't bear to remember the abuse that his father inflicted on him as a child and the fact that while he grew up believing his mother had died, in truth, she had abandoned him and left him at the mercy of his tyrannical father. The only thing that Four allows himself to care about is Tris. Although he doesn't trust his mother, Four’s desire to protect Tris compels him to reach out to his mother and reluctantly accept her as an ally. While Tris is willing to sacrifice herself in order to ensure that Four and the others survive, Four is likewise willing to sacrifice everything…even his own life…to protect the one person he loves: Tris.
“Insurgent” is a fun, action-packed film. The story, while a bit convoluted at times, does have moments of sincere emotion, particularly between Tris and Four, that allow the viewer to connect with the characters. The casting overall is exceptional, especially for Theo James and Shailene Woodley who play Four and Tris. If you enjoy the “Divergent” series, this film is worth watching.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.