Synopsis
The last film in the Divergent series, Allegiant, premiered in 2016. Putting science fiction aside, the film is based off a novel of the same name written by Veronica Roth. The film was directed by Robert Schwentke and takes the protagonist Tris Prior and her friends outside the walls of Chicago in search for the truth about their world. Along with action and drama, themes of loyalty, identity, genetic purity, and the cost of truth are explored in the film.
As it was the custom with all films in the divergent series, Allegiant too was released with a sequel (Insurgents). The downfall of faction system and Jeanine Matthews has ushered in an era of chaos in Chicago. Evelyn Johnson-Eaton, who is Tobias ‘Four’ Eaton’s mother, takes control of the city through the factionless army. But with power comes pain, as violence, torture, and dual murders replace execution in her regime. Evelyn isn’t the only powerful person around as Johanna Reyes, once Amity’s leader wants to turn it into a democracy.
Tris (Shailene Woodley) junto a Four (Theo James), Caleb (Ansel Elgort), Christina (Zoë Kravitz) y Peter (Miles Teller), deciden salir de la ciudad para explorar el mundo más allá del muro. Motivados por la revelación que recibieron al final de Insurgente, donde se les decía que eran parte de un experimento más grande, iniciaron su travesía al vacío con la esperanza de revelar la verdad sobre su existencia y el origen de la sociedad en la que eran parte.
Más allá del muro, el grupo se enfrenta a un paisaje desierto que sirve como reminiscencia post-apocalíptica del planeta Tierra marcado por guerras. Eventualmente, son rescatados por una organización futurista llamada la Oficina de Bienestar Genético. Esta Oficina, que se encuentra en una ciudad tecnológicamente avanzada, es liderada por David (Jeff Daniels), un hombre calmado pero manipulador, quien revela que Chicago era un experimento controlado para arreglar genes dañados.
Tris es identificada específicamente como “pura” genéticamente, algo poco común que la coloca en un nivel alto dentro de la oficina. Ella, halagada y con esperanzas, piensa que por fin ha encontrado las respuestas que tanto ha buscado. Sin embargo, mientras se involucra más con David y su grupo, comienzan a notar ciertas incoherencias que resultan ser inquietantes.
At the same time, Four becomes more suspicious of the Bureau’s procedures, particularly when he finds out that they erase and alter the memories of individuals considered “genetically damaged.” He learns that David intends to use a memory serum on the residents of Chicago and reset their minds so he can control their population. This revelation forces Tris and Four into a confrontation of their own as they try to come to a consensus on how to stop David and save the city.
In an attempt to redeem himself after past betrayals, Caleb teams up with Christina and Four to stop the Bureau’s scheme. After realizing the extent of David’s manipulations, Tris also returns to her allies. The group collaborates to devise a plan to steal the memory serum and disable its use.
In the closing scenes of the film, the Bureau’s plan is successfully thwarted by the protagonists who, along with the citizens of Chicago, are informed of the truth. Numerous narrative lines are still left unresolved with the ending, which was meant to be a two-part finale. The sequel, which was titled Ascendant, was never produced, resulting in Allegiant being the unfinished conclusion of the cinematic series.
Cast & Crew
Shailene Woodley as Tris Prior—In the role of Tris, Woodley continues to give every Allegiant and prior installments her wholehearted effort as the pained and courageous heroine. Tris goes through significant emotional development in Allegiant, dealing with identity, trust, and moral concerns. Woodley balances the character’s fortitude and vulnerability, though the script does not afford her as many powerful moments this time around as in earlier films.
Theo James as Tobias “Four” Eaton—Four is still the conscience of the story and the character’s portrayal by James fulfills the role’s sense of gravity. He becomes more reactive in this edition, fighting back against the Bureau and revealing the more sinister layers of the truth that Tris is so eager to accept.
Ansel Elgort as Caleb Prior—Caleb’s arc in Allegiant centers on guilt and seeking forgiveness. Elgort sincerely captures the character’s internal struggle, depicting Caleb’s attempts to redeem himself for his past choices.
Zoë Kravitz as Christina—Christina characterizes a loyal and pragmatic asset to the group. As always, Kravitz gave a stable performance but her character isn’t given much to do.
Miles Teller as Peter Hayes—Teller again adds to the narrative his signature blend of irony and unpredictability. Peter maintains his ambiguous moral disposition as a character who defaults to comic relief while changing sides for his own safety.
Jeff Daniels as David – Daniels is the soft-spoken yet chilling villain of the film. His portrayal of David is calculated and manipulative, demonstrating how power can be wielded through psychological manipulation and control rather than brute force.
Director: Robert Schwentke – Allegiant also saw the involvement of Schwentke, who previously directed Insurgent. The film is flashy and full of visual effects, containing numerous CGI-laden sequences like the radioactive wastelands in the vicinity of Chicago and the pristine, sterile interiors of the Bureau. While the visuals are stunning, the pacing, inconsistencies in tone, and jarring transitions do detract from the emotional core.
Writers: Noah Oppenheim, Adam Cooper, and Bill Collage – Adapting the third book for a movie was particularly complicated because of its dense themes and controversial material at the center of the book. The adaptation seeks to streamline the story, but in doing so, skips or rushes important parts to such a degree that the audience is left confused and overwhelmed.
IMDb Ratings & Critical Reception
The movie holds an approximate 5.7/10 rating on IMDb, which indicates mixed to negative reception. Allegiant was heavily criticized for its overly complex plot, absence of character arcs, and unfinished storyline. Divergent fans were particularly frustrated by the drastic changes made to the film adaptation, arguing that it fails to construct a compelling narrative to continue Tris’s story.
The attempts at capitalizing on previous successes by splitting the last installment of the franchise into two films based on the The Hunger Games and Harry Potter series proved to be counterproductive, as Allegiant did not capture enough audience interest or box office returns to provide a rationale for completing the narrative with Ascendant. This ultimately leaves the film series unfinished, with Allegiant not only lacking a resolution but also ending in a cliffhanger.
Regardless of it shortcomings, some viewers did enjoy the ambition and visual scope displayed in the film. The concepts of genetic alteration, societal subjugation, and individual autonomy contain intrigue, even though they lacked clarity and emotional impact in execution.
Conclusions
Allegiant is a narrative-laden film suffering from franchise fatigue at a culmination of high expectations. Though it puts forth some compelling ideas surrounding identity, power, and rebellion, the lack of resolution to central conflicts, an overreliance on exposition, and inconsistent execution greatly undermine these ideas. While the performances and visual design of the film are strong, Allegiant ultimately does not deliver a coherent continuation–let alone a satisfying one–to the Divergent saga.
For fans of dystopian literature and the series, Allegiant is somewhat of a bittersweet addition, serving a purpose but remains deeply flawed. As a standalone film, it is caught in the crossfire of expanding the world and finishing the story of the central characters. In the end, it encapsulates the problems of adapting lengthy and intricate text series into films without thoroughly crafting a finish.
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