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Review Roundup: DIVERGENT Hits Theaters Nationwide

By: Mar. 21, 2014
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The star-studded big screen adaptation of Veronica Roth's novel DIVERGENT opens in theaters nationwide today.

DIVERGENT is a thrilling adventure set in a future world where people are divided into distinct factions based on their personalities. Tris Prior (Woodley) is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy to destroy all Divergents, she must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it's too late.

The film stars Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ray Stevenson, Mekhi Phifer, Maggie Q, Jai Courtney, Miles Teller, Zoë Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Ben Lamb, Christian Madsen, Amy Newbold, Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn.

Let's see what the critics had to say:

Manohla Dargis | New York Times

"So, yea for DIVERGENT, a dumb movie that I hope makes major bank if only as a reminder of the obvious: Women can drive big and little movies, including the pricey franchises that fire up the box office and the culture." Read the full review here.

Owen Gleiberman | Entertainment Weekly

"Woodley, through the delicate power of her acting, does something compelling: She shows you what a prickly, fearful, yet daring personality looks like when it's nestled deep within the kind of modest, bookish girl who shouldn't even like gym class." Read the full review here.

Joe Morgenstern | Wall Street Journal

"DIVERGENT, set in a war-torn Chicago after a global conflict, is not only a waste of time for anyone safely out of adolescence, but a waste of Ms. Woodley's special gifts. She's a lovely actress, given the sort of good material she got, and elevated memorably, in THE DESCENDANTS and THE SPECTACULAR NOW." Read the full review here.

Rafer Guzman | Newsday

"Somewhat silly and teen to the extreme, but Woodley and James are surprisingly strong. It's up to them to keep this hopeful franchise alive." Read the full review here.

Peter Travers | Rolling Stone

"At the risk of alienating young-adult hearts, the faithful but dramatically flat film version of DIVERGENT, from Veronica Roth's 2011 bestseller, couldn't stir palpitations in shut-ins. It's that bland and lifeless." Read the full review here.

Michael Phillips | Chicago Tribune

"In Veronica Roth's young adult trilogy of best-selling futuristic hellholes, being a "divergent" means you avoid easy categorization and defy the crushing dictates of your overseers. The movie version of "Divergent" is no divergent. It goes along to get along. It's tame, formulaic and strictly by the book in every sense." Read the full review here.

Sheri Linden | Hollywood Reporter

"Even with star Shailene Woodley delivering the requisite toughness and magnetism, the clunky result is almost unrelentingly grim. Dystopia can be presented in dynamic ways, but this iteration of it is, above all, no picnic for the audience." Read the full review here.

Andrew Barker | Variety

"Even though it stretches to nearly two-and-a-half hours and concludes with an extended gun battle, by the time DIVERGENT ends, it still seems to be in the process of clearing its throat." Read the full review here.

Did you see DIVERGENT opening weekend? Add your review to the roundup in the comments below.



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