This is definitely one of the BEST book-to-movie adaptations I have ever seen. That probably explains how my first movie review post was completely crazy and contained nothing else but me screaming at you about how this movie was fucking perfect and that you had to go see it...
You have no idea. As some of you probably know, I read the book quite a while back and I didn't really remember all the details. However, I read Allegiant recently (and fuckity fuck fuck fuck that ending), and this movie just managed to bring up all my Allegiant feels. Again.
1. Cast
I absolutely adore the casting. Theo and Shailene? PERFECT.
I think Eric is the next person I want to talk about, despite how he isn't really *that* important in the story. The actor, Jai Courtney, truly brought out Eric's menacing character and I was actually really scared of him in the movie. Good job, Jai!
Christina was very well cast, and her sassy Candor-ness totally was well acted! Zoe wasn't exactly how I pictured Christina, but she made it. She brought out Christina. She's great. Honestly, I couldn't tell Will, Al, and Peter apart the first time I watched it. But they all really brought their characters out.
2. Favorite parts
I just have so many parts that I love, it's crazy. But if I had to choose one, I'd choose where she went through Tobias's fear landscape. That was definitely one of my favorites, because that's when he opens up to her and that of course, precedes the kissing (hehehehehe)...
Second in line would DEFINITELY be the part after capture the flag where she sort of just "flies" across the city. That was epic and really satisfying.
I also love the ferris wheel scene (god, it just has to involve Tobias doesn't it). The ferris wheel scene was cute.
3. Little Thing(s)
Not a big deal, and I'm not really complaining (because hey, they made it work!), but there were a few things that kind of bothered me. Just a tad.
The way Tris got a bird tattoo. A fellow reviewer mentioned that Tris got the tattoo because it was a symbol of her independence and strength, but instead the movie used it as a way to let Tris talk to Tori. I completely agree, but I think what bothered me more was the way she got it. I know that this is way in the future, but why couldn't they just use tattoo needles? Like what was that light up tube with the ice-pack looking thing? That was weird. But once again, a little thing.
When Tobias was not himself and they were fighting each other and he was pointing the gun at Tris's head, she kept whispering "It's me, it's me, it's okay I love you" and I feel like "I love you" was just not the right thing to say at the moment.
4. Perfect Things
Fear landscapes. Of course, this is a complicated concept to grasp and transfer from text to the big screen. But somehow, the director did it! Like, holy shit. And there was different lighting too, to show that they were actually under a simulation. It was so cool and it was so realistic.
Tobias's tattoo.
Ferris wheel scene. Y'all know already.
5. Epic Things
Consider this filed under "perfect things."
When Tris's mom came to the rescue. Holy shit, Natalie Prior. I love you. She is completely amazing and was awesome. Kiss three fingers and put them in the air for Natalie Prior.
When Tris showed her dad, Marcus, and Caleb the way into Dauntless, how they had to jump off the train and how they had to jump into the hole-- like it was completely AWESOME. You just felt it coming off of her. It was so cool. COOL. That is such an inaccurate description but it was SO DAMN AWESOME. I know they were like, in a life-or-death situation, but, ah...
Tris throws a knife at Jeanine's hand. Jeanine cries out in pain. Fucking awesome.
Tris doing her final exam through her fear landscape. It was the first time we saw how she handled things as a Dauntless and not as a Divergent, and it was t o t a l l y amazing. Like, wow, fight off the birds with that flaming branch, girl! You go!
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Pretty much, this movie was amazing. At first, when I first heard that it was becoming a movie, I didn't want to watch it because I thought it would ruin the book for me. But then I heard Kate Winslet was going to be in it (I love her), so I was encouraged to do so. And I do not regret watching it not once, but twice, one bit.
Here's a piece of advice: do not write a movie review right after you watched it for the first time if you're the fangirl type. So hopefully this redo review made up for the shitty first one! This movie totally deserves it.
GO WATCH IT.
Honestly, I thought the movie could have used 30 or more minutes. Although it had been a while since I read the novel and that means I didn't remember all to perfectly, it still felt that Will, Christina and Al characters weren't developed the way they should've.
ReplyDeleteNow, being more direct (That means SPOILERS)
-Will and Christina relationship was never shown
-Al death was out-of-place, because he barely even had screen time
-Four and Tris relationship also came out of nowhere
-Eric and Four rivalry is never explained
Nonetheless, i still felt it was a decent job for the time a movie should last and maaaaaan, the "Tris throwing a knife at Jeanine" scene was so good and rewarding
On a totally different note: Have you read D.J. Machale's "Storm"? (The sequel to SYLO) I thought you were going to review it
Hello Kevin, thanks for stopping by! And I get what you mean. I agree with the Will and Christina thing. However, about the Four and Tris relationship thing, I believe that they had time to develop it. Because he saw that she was truly unique and he was attracted to her, and she saw that he had depth so she was attracted to him as well. Eric and Four's rivalry, I feel like, couldn't have really made it onto the screen because I think the director wanted to concentrate on Tris as the main character.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, I haven't! I had no idea it came out. I don't remember how I felt about Sylo, but I think it was an okay book. I don't think I'll be reviewing Storm, but stay tuned!