August 22, 2015

The Divergent Series: Insurgent

Kevin Taft READ TIME: 2 MIN.

Call me crazy, but out of the Young Adult Dystopian Novels turned Film Franchises, the "Divergent" series is, by far, my favorite. Where "The Hunger Games" seems cheesy to me and "The Maze Runner" oddly too talky, "Divergent" and now its sequel "The Divergent Series: Insurgent" continue to be compelling, well-acted entertainment. With Oscar nominee Shailene Woodley in the lead as Tris -- a girl fighting against a world that likes to place people into predestined roles -- the films already have a realism they might not already have. Her ability to tap into the inner turmoil of her character is especially apparent in the sequel when guilt overwhelms her and informs her choices throughout the action-packed film. Where "The Hunger Games" seems to follow a familiar story pattern, "Insurgent" kept surprising me ("why is Naomi Watts here and who is she??") and the special effects and tests Tris goes through were dazzling. With Kate Winslet as the main resident baddie, the film has more than its share of twists, broken alliances, and romance (hello, Theo James)!

For those that haven't tried this series out, you might be surprised at how engrossing it really is. And for fans, the Blu-ray is packed with behind-the-scenes info that will whet your appetite for the upcoming sequels.

Special Features:

  • Audio Commentary with producers Lucy Fisher and Doug Wick -- a little bare on the chat, there are some occasional interesting tidbits and fun facts about the actors that make it a mild diversion.

  • Insurgent Unlocked: The Ultimate Behind-the-Scenes Access -- a two hour picture in picture look at the film that plays in a lower frame while the film plays, OR, you can access the featurettes separately. They include:
    � Building a Bigger World
    � Creating the Big Screen Experience
    � Exploring the Factionless
    � A New Landscape of Weapons and Stunts
    � Composers and Simulators
    � A Fight to the Finish

    From Divergent to Insurgent -- a short featurette with various cast and crew discussing the story arc of the films.

    The Others: Cast and Characters -- a very brief featurette on various characters.

    Anatomy of a Scene: The Train Fight -- a short look at one of the film's biggest set pieces.

    The Peter Hayes Story -- a brief look at Miles Teller's character.

    Divergent: Adapting Insurgent to the screen -- another short featurette with behind-the-scenes footage.

    Marketing Gallery which includes the HBO: First Look, 5 trailers, and other short promotional material.

    by Kevin Taft

    Kevin Taft is a screenwriter/critic living in Los Angeles with an unnatural attachment to 'Star Wars' and the desire to be adopted by Steven Spielberg.

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