'Insurgent' - Shailene Woodley shines on (Movie Review)
Mar 20,2015
Film: "Insurgent"; Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet, Octavia Spencer, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Mekhi Phifer, Ray Stevenson, Zoe Kravitz, Maggie Q, Daniel Dae Kim and Tony Goldwyn; Director: Robert Schwentke; Rating: **1/2
Based on Veronica Roth's second novel from the Divergent trilogy, "Insurgent" is a technically brilliant film, packed with slick, high-action drama. But unfortunately it lacks the novelty factor in terms of the oft seen and trite visuals and the plot is frivolous.
For the uninitiated, Divergent Trilogy, is the story based in a class-crammed, dystopian society in the barricaded city of Chicago. The divisions are based on the personal characteristics.
They are: Candor - the honest, outspoken opinionated types suited for legality and politics; Abnegation - the selfless, simple folk who are the only ones trusted to hold public office; Dauntless - the brave risk-takers used for policing and military service; Amity - the peaceful working-class who would not tread on others' shoes and Erudite - the intelligent and brainy who love knowledge and logic.
Now, 200 years after the terrible war, according to the founders of the city, "Peace is indeed attainable". But this peace is now being threatened by a group of people who do not fit into any specific class, read Divergents.
Jeanine Mathews, the leader of the Erudite, who has taken over the city from the selfless Abnegation clan, finds an ornate box hidden by Tris' late mother Natalie. She believes that the box holds the secrets of power which can be opened only by a 100 percent Divergent.
So she passes an order, to eliminate Divergents.
Borrowing from the previous edition, Tris is the prime suspect because she has a strong divergent personality and does not fit into any class.
"Insurgent" is Tris Prior's convoluted journey from being a suspect to being hailed as a saviour of her society. Though the director has stuck to the source material, the premise is laid on a razor-thin edge, making it less convincing and thus difficult to digest.
Shailene Woodley, like in the previous edition, shines as Tris Prior. The film majorly focuses on her and she is effective, in both emotional, as well as action scenes. She is ably supported by; Theo James as Tobias Eaton aka Four, Miles Teller as the Dauntless traitor Peter Hayes, Ansel Elgort as her brother Caleb, Kate Winslet as the ambitious Jeanine, Naomi Watts as Tobias mother and leader of the Factionless Group.
With emphasis on strong design elements and fine quality visual effects, the film is dazzling to view. The action scenes too are jaw dropping with set pieces that are slickly and elegantly choreographed.
The only issue is the editing. With some abruptly ending scenes, the visual jerks are evident and the end product looks a wee bit tacky.
Overall, the film may appeal to those who have seen "Divergent" and are cued into this dystopian society.
Top Stories
Salman Khan Viral Video: Bhaijaan Stops After Child Is Pushed, Scolds Driver Over Fan’s Foot
Sep 18,2026
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s appearances during Mumbai’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations have once again attracted significant attention online. From visiting the Ambani family’s residence and celebrating with his family to seeking Lord Ganesha’s blessing
King vs. Avengers: Doomsday – Shah Rukh Khan says "The father will come first," anticipating a Christmas box office clash.
Sep 15,2026
Shah Rukh Khan has once again shown why he is known as Bollywood’s ‘King Khan’. During his latest #AskSRK session on X, the superstar gave a witty response when a fan asked him about the much-discussed box-office clash between his upcoming film King and Marvel Studios&rsq
Salman Khan’s Ganesh Chaturthi Look Goes Viral: Tilak and Angavastram Steal the Show
Sep 15,2026
Salman Khan's appearance at the Ambani family's Ganesh Chaturthi celebration has become a talking point on social media. A video showing the Bollywood superstar offering prayers to Lord Ganpati at Antilia has gone viral, with fans praising his traditional festive appearance and the momen
Emraan Hashmi’s Iconic Heartbreak Song: Pakistani Singer Who Shot to Fame With This Rock Hit
Aug 18,2026
Emraan Hashmi has long been associated with memorable romantic and heartbreak songs. Over the years, the music of his films has produced several tracks that continue to feature prominently on listeners’ playlists.One such song is “Lambi Judai” from the 2008 film J
Shatrughan Sinha on Sonakshi Sinha Trolling: Accuses BJP IT Cell, Opens Up on Her Political Entry
Aug 18,2026
Veteran actor and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Shatrughan Sinha has spoken out over the social media trolling faced by his daughter, actor Sonakshi Sinha.In an interview with ABP News, Shatrughan addressed criticism of Sonakshi's public support for student protests and also res
Batwara 1947 Review: Sunny Deol Shines in a Powerful and Emotional Partition Drama
Aug 14,2026
Batwara 1947 Movie Review: When director Rajkumar Santoshi and Sunny Deol reunite, expectations are bound to be high. After memorable collaborations such as Ghayal, Damini and Ghatak, the duo returns with Batwara 1947, a Partition-era drama that takes a noticeably different route.R
‘Ramayana’: ‘Mahabharat’ Actor Gajendra Chauhan Reacts to Ranbir Kapoor’s Trailer, “I Wasn’t Impressed”
Aug 12,2026
Nitesh Tiwari's much-awaited ‘Ramayana’ has generated considerable buzz following the release of its trailer. While the trailer has received mixed reactions, actor Gajendra Chauhan, best known for playing Yudhishthira in B.R. Chopra's iconic Mahabharat, has now shared his opi
Urmila Matondkar’s Ex-Husband Mohsin Akhtar Mir Marries Again; Actress Takes a Dig at Second Wedding
Aug 12,2026
Urmila Matondkar is once again making headlines, this time because of a cryptic social media post following a post shared by her ex-husband Mohsin Akhtar Mir about his second wife, Nida Bhat.The actress, who generally keeps her personal life private, shared a message on Instagram that quic
Entertainment News
‘Ramayana’: ‘Mahabharat
Aug 12,2026
Urmila Matondkar’s Ex-Husban
Aug 12,2026
Munna Bhaiya Returns in ‘Mir
Aug 12,2026
Suniel Shetty Birthday: Ajay D
Aug 11,2026
Nikita Rawal on Ranbir Kapoor
Aug 05,2026