'Allegiant' review: Shailene Woodley is no JLaw, 'Divergent' series is no 'Hunger Games'

Film: Allegiant
Director: Robert Schwentke
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Jeff Daniels, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Zoë Kravitz

What it's about

Allegiant is what comes between Insurgent and Ascendant in The Divergent Series. It finds Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) in the aftermath of the overthrowing of Erudite's leader Jeanine (Kate Winslet). To whom all this sounds like Greek, let me explain. The Divergent Series follows the events of a Chicago set in the future. The city is now walled, cut off from the rest of civilisation and we're led to believe this is a post-apocalyptic time. Society in Chicago is divided into factions. Strict adherence to one's factions becomes the cornerstone of each person's existence. There are a few rebels who come to challenge the status quo, who are given the name Divergent. Jeanine tries to bring order through control but is brought down by Tris and Four.

The events in Allegiant see Evelyn (Watts), Four's mother, taking over power and calling themselves the Allegiant while Johanna (Spencer) heads the Factionless. While Evelyn's group carries out public executions, Tris finds it uncomfortable and escapes with Four, her brother Caleb (Elgort), who once betrayed her, and a few others. They scale the wall, hoping to find some refuge beyond it and are taken to the Bureau of Genetic Welfare, a place in the wastelands where they find out that Chicago and they were experiments. That the search was to find a 'pure' Divergent. That the only way society can be brought together is by removing impurities from human genes. That Tris is a Pure Divergent.

Four quickly learns the truth behind the Bureau's actions, tries to warn Tris, who is too taken in by the Bureau leader David's promises. Meanwhile, the Factionless and the Allegiant prepare to go to war. Tris has some tough decisions to make.

What's hot

Shailene Woodley is sincere, bordering on naive as Tris. Theo plays his part well as eye-candy bodyguard, Ansel as family that cannot be trusted and an assortment of other characters are efficient as well. Jeff as the villain is eerily effective. 

What's not

Performances aside, there's little going for this franchise that everybody seems too bored to care about. Good on you if you actually read what this film is about. Shailene is no JLaw (yes, comparisons will be made with Hunger Games) and Veronica Roth is no Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games, at least, had several things working for it. Here, there aren't even that many gimmicks or dramatic moments to fall back on. There is no redemption for Miles Teller's character yet, and that's sad.

What to do

Ignore it. Unless you're a fan of the series/franchise/Shailene/Theo. In which case, ignore me and do what you'd anyway do.

Rating: **1/2