As I walked into the theatre, I was hopefully optimistic for what I would encounter when the movie started. Divergent was one of the most anticipated movies of the year, and it is safe to say that it definitely did not disappoint.  A bestselling novel and trilogy, it was a film that had to live up to high expectations, especially from fans of the book.

Divergent, written by Veronica Roth, is a novel set in a destroyed Chicago city, where the people who live there are separated into five communities called factions based off of the trait they wish to live by: candor, amity, erudite, abnegation, and dauntless. Children select the faction they wish to join by taking a test that determines your best fit, and although you do not have to live in the faction that fits you, it is encouraged.

    The main character Beatrice Prior’s test does not end up with any results. She is what people in the factions call “divergent,” meaning that she does not fit into any specific faction. This is dangerous because being a divergent is illegal as it threatens the established system, and if her secret is discovered she will be killed. This is the beginning of her story of survival.

    I was very surprised when I saw the movie last weekend with my friends. Like the book, Divergent kept me on the edge of my seat the entire movie. The actors who played the characters were amazing, especially the two main characters, played by Shailene Woodley and Theo James, were able to equal out the drama of the situation and the humor when it was needed.

    One thing I did not like was the exclusion of some of the more violent parts that were a part of the book. I understand that it was probably due to keeping the rating of PG-13 so a large audience was not lost; but I feel as if the personality of some of the characters in the book were lost in the production of the movie, whether to make the movie less violent or to make said characters more likeable.

    Overall, I really enjoyed the movie. It was amazing how they used the descriptions of places in the book and turned it into a set for the movie. Everything was almost exactly how I had pictured it, and after discussing the movie with my friends, they felt the same way. I strongly recommend reading the books and watching the film if you enjoyed The Hunger Games series.