By SETH HYNES
Insurgent
Starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Kate Winslet
Rated M for science fiction themes and violence
AMONG young-adult novel adaptations, Insurgent is a rather paltry follow-up to last year’s Divergent, unlike Catching Fire, the great second Hunger Games movie.
On the run after disrupting her dystopian society’s Faction system, Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) joins the Factionless rebellion to strike back against Jeanine (Kate Winslet), of the power-hungry Erudites.
Insurgent provides some interesting insight into the politics of the Faction system, including a compelling courtroom sequence, but the first half of the film is all allegiances and assembling armies with little pay-off (and the villains are absurdly unsubtle).
The film comes alive in the second half, continuing the franchise’s use of surreal, creatively action-packed tests and striking imagery. But meanwhile, the rebellion is still underway and feels far too convenient and safe, thus harming the suspense.
Insurgent is also a strangely deadpan affair. The performances are generally lacking in energy or passion – even Shailene Woodley, who is a great actress, can’t seem to cry convincingly in this.
Miles Teller, as Peter, is an entertaining exception; as a slimy, opportunistic jerk, he’s the most lively presence in the movie.
Divergent was quite decent, but Insurgent feels simultaneously more ambitious and less focused, and has Mockingjay part one’s problem of being mostly set-up (though Mockingjay was a much better movie).
With strong ideas and moments but a slack plot that overall fails to engage, Insurgent ends up forgettable.
