Divergent - The Hunger Games by another name

Some girl in a dystopian future decides to buck the system when she discovers she’s *vaguely* special and, in doing so, finds love while helping to bring down the corrupt regime of the time.  Sound familiar?  It is.  Whoever wrote ‘Divergent’ obviously has read The Hunger Games and changed a few things here and there.

But is it any good?  The answer to that question really does depend on whether you liked The Hunger Games or not.  If you did, you’ll love this.  If you didn’t, this one isn’t for you.  It basically follows all the same rules.  Instead of kids fighting it out for food, ala Hunger Games, you have kids who are split into five (supposedly radically) different factions after they complete a test in their early adolescent years.  This *slightly trippy* test determines which faction they’re destined to be part of for the rest of their lives. 

Of course if they don’t agree with the test results they don’t have to be part of that faction (I didn’t get that bit).  Then they all sit around in a big room and pick up a handful of rocks which tells them which faction they’re going to be in (completely negating the test they took only days earlier).  There are various factions which they could be in, all of which have names like the ‘houses’ in the Harry Potter films.  However, about the only faction you’ll remember is ‘Dauntless’ which is made up of some of the most annoying people you’ll ever meet.  They’re supposed to be ‘protecting’ society, yet all they do is run around the streets making whooping and cheering noises while generally getting in everyone’s way and practically knocking over old ladies.  Our heroine (not Kaniss, but someone just like her) is conscripted into this band of nutters.  However, she isn’t destined to be a simple ‘Dauntless’ lass, she has traits from ALL the different factions, thus making her a ‘Divergent’.  And, apparently, being a Divergent means you need to be hunted down until you die.

But, help is on hand for our Katniss-clone, in the form of a blatantly older hunky guy who’ll have a love/hate relationship with her until he eventually decides he loves her.

Yes, it has a budget, so the scenery is nicely futuristic and the actors play their parts well.  They’re either hunky and good.  Hunky and evil, or hunky and annoying.

I’m not sure how well this film will be received by cynical older males such as myself.  However, I really don’t think I’m its target audience.  It’s aimed at kids and, I’m reliable informed, the kids loved it.

Does anyone else hear the words ‘Hunger Games-sequel/franchise?’ (Sorry, I meant DIVERGENT sequel/franchise!)

6/10 May just keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights