Divergent is the first movie based on the trilogy written by Veronica Roth. It is a good movie but has some confusing scenes, especially for viewers who haven’t read the books.

Divergent is set in the dystopian future of Chicago. Residents are separated into five groups, or factions: Abnegation for the selfless, Erudite for the intelligent, Dauntless for the brave, Candor for the honest and Amity for the kind. When children reach the age of 16 they must choose a faction. Once they choose, they are not allowed to transfer or change.

Tris (Shailene Woodley) is born in Abnegation but is captivated by the Dauntless way of life. When she goes to take an aptitude test to determine which faction she should choose, her results are inconclusive, meaning she is Divergent. Being Divergent is dangerous and she must hide it from everyone, even her family, to avoid being killed. Although it is never clearly explained why Divergence is such a bad thing, it is hinted that because Divergents don’t conform to a certain way of thinking, they cannot be controlled. Tris has trouble choosing a faction, but ultimately chooses Dauntless, even though it will disappoint her parents.

The plot was interesting, but some parts of the movie seemed boring and drawn out, especially in the beginning while the story was getting started and during some long fight scenes. Other parts seemed too short and could be elaborated on to improve character development or were just a little confusing. I think they would be even more confusing if the viewer hadn’t read the book. Neil Burger’s directing made the story seem a little slow, but it followed the book well and didn’t leave out or add any major scenes.

Woodley effectively portrays Tris as a strong and hardworking teenager who works for what she has. The Dauntless instructor Four (Theo James)  pushes Tris to get better, but is standoffish. Eventually Tris and Four develop a relationship, but it is rushed and seems a little awkward because they didn’t get along in the beginning of the movie.

Divergent is a good movie with an thought-provoking storyline and solid actors, but can be dull and confusing at times. This first installment of the trilogy is not a must-see but provides an interesting look into the future.