Insurgent Review

RYAN: It’s the sequel to Divergent and prequel to Allegiant Parts 1 and 2 – and I liked the first one better and the things I liked best about this movie are the things that harkened back to the first film – the simulations, effects and action.  That’s where this movie really soars.

KIM: Yes the action is fabulous.  I also liked the first one more.  Having not read the books, I was more impressed with the concept in the first one.  I did, however, like where the story goes in this one as well.

RYAN: I also didn’t read these books but we heard on the way out that the ending is quite a departure from the book – to the point where some in the audience were disappointed. But since I can’t compare it to the source material I can’t complain.  I like female-driven sci fi movies.  It’s not a chick flick; it’s a dramatic action film and the story moves forward quite a bit.  It doesn’t feel like a transitional film, knowing there’s one last book split into two movies yet to come.

KIM: I liked seeing more of the factions.  When Divergent first came out, it reminded me a bit of The Hunger Games where a society is separated for a “better world.”  It also kinda reminds me of The Maze Runner.

RYAN: Totally.  It’s the dystopian society that makes sci fi work so well.  And it’s so reflective of our own world.  We’re not forced into factions but we are certainly guilty of putting people “in boxes” and judging who they are and what they should do.  Look as actors who release music and we get skeptical as an audience.  Or when people you know change careers in midlife.  To an extent, we view and judge people like the factions in these films.

KIM: Completely.  And we can’t do spoilers, but there are some parallels to the story.

RYAN: We saw this with the movie club and in talking to people after, many were comparing it to those movies and even Harry Potter, which I don’t find as obvious.  But there are often commonalities in story arcs, relationships.  Judging this on its own, I enjoy the series.  I was more involved in the first one.  I did grab your arm at one point tonight, though.  There are some great suspense and action scenes where they make it by the hair of their chins.

KIM: I love those moments too.  The action and effects were great.

RYAN: The 3D, not to much.  It should have looked a lot more dynamic but you don’t notice it at all.  I love Rose from Titanic as a villain.

KIM: Kate Winslet it great.

RYAN: And I like her as a platinum blonde.  She’s a meanie in this.  She will cut you and not shed a tear.

KIM: She looks great but OMG Naomi Watts – I love her any way but she looks so cool with the dark hair.

RYAN: I was thrilled to see her in this.  It’s impeccably cast and she’s a jewel among them.  She has such a great mysterious quality about her in this.

KIM: Theo James is smokin’ hot.

RYAN: I’m disappointed he didn’t have a shirtless scene though.  It was such a moment in the first one and then nothing in this one.  Such a missed opportunity.

KIM: You see a bit of his back for a quick moment.  Shailene Woodley is one of the most talented actresses out there.  She’s versatile.  She reminds me of Angelina Jolie in the sense she’s so twiggy you could break her in half but then she’s actually super tough.

RYAN: She does have a grit to her.  I like her and especially like the one scene with the truth serum.  I don’t think that’s giving away too much but that was a really great moment.

KIM: It was a very natural moment in the context of a sci fi situation.

RYAN: Octavia Spencer is there briefly and Miles Teller is back, more recently seen in Whiplash.  And he’s cool.

KIM: All around it has some humor, emotion, great acting and action.

RYAN: There are a bunch of great twists in this film among the characters and within the story.  And it has a great ending, a cliffhanger.  Job well done.

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