The second instalment of The Divergent Series, Insurgent is a dystopian science fiction film based on the novel of the same name and the second book in the Divergent trilogy, written by Veronica Roth. The film was directed by Robert Schwentke and distributed by Lionsgate.

At the end of the first part of the trilogy, Divergent, we saw Tris (Shailene Woodley), Four (Theo James), Peter (Miles Teller) and Tris’s brother Caleb (Ansel Elgort) escaping from the metropolis aboard a train into the territory behind the protective fence surrounding the city.

As the four youths are escaping, Jeanine, the leader of the Erudite and the self-appointed dictator of the metropolis, comes into possession of a mysterious box, marked with the symbols of all the factions, apparently containing a message from the city’s founders and the instructions on how to end the Divergence problem. There is a small snag however: the box can be opened only by a Divergent. Jeanine therefore sends out one of the leaders of Dauntless, Eric (Jai Courtney) with the task to find and capture all the Divergent.

In the meantime, the quartet of escapees finds a temporary refuge within Amity community, but they are soon betrayed by Peter and sniffed out by Eric and his troops, who scan all the citizens for signs of Divergence. In the ensuing shoot-out, Tris, Four and Caleb manage to escape aboard yet another train, this time heading for Factionless territory. During the scuffle with Factionless on the train, Four reveals that his true name is Tobias Eaton, causing the Factionless to stop fighting and revealing that they have been already searching for him.

It transpires that Tobias Eaton a.k.a. Four is the son of Factionless’ leader, Evelyn Johnson-Eaton (Naomi Watts). Four, Tris and Caleb are given safe passage into the heart of Factionless territory. Evelyn suggests that Dauntless and Factionless should join their forces in order to topple the dictatorship of the Erudite. Four is at first reluctant, suspecting that his mother has some ulterior motives, but later, under pressure of circumstances, agrees. Tris and Four leave Factionless headquarters for the territory of the Candor to meet up with the remaining Dauntless, but Caleb refuses to continue with them and decides to go in a different direction.

Soon after the couple arrive into Candor territory, this is attacked by a faction of the Dauntless loyal to Jeanine and led by Eric. Tris and Uriah (Keiynan Lonsdale), who turns out to be also Divergent, are captured by Eric who tests Tris for Divergence, finding that she is 100% Divergent, making her the perfect subject to open the mysterious box. Fortunately, before Eric can escort Tris away, Four and the Candor come to the rescue. Eric is taken into custody where Four executes him.

Back in Erudite H.Q., Jeanine, who becomes increasingly frustrated that none of the Divergent she captured have survived the attempt to open the box, is approached by Peter who suggests that the best way to get Tris to surrender is to play on her compassion. Jeanine likes the idea.

Meanwhile in Factionless hideout, in a scene that could be straight out of a 1950s B-movie, three hapless folks, affected by the mind-controlling serum activated by Jeanine, stand on a high ledge, chanting: “Tris Prior must turn herself in – or more deaths will follow”, while stepping closer and closer towards the edge. Tris and Tori (Maggie Q) climb up as fast as they can, and stop two of the three would-be victims from jumping, but one unfortunate girl plunges over the edge to her death. Overcome by guilt, and fearing more innocent victims, Tris turns herself in.

At Erudite facility, Jeanine subjects Tris to each of the several virtual reality tests (one per faction) that are required to open the box. Only one test now remains, but, as Tris is almost killed in the process, Jeanine reluctantly interrupts the simulation, allowing Tris to recuperate in a cell with her brother Caleb, who is now working for Jeanine. Meanwhile, Four, who attempts to rescue Tris, is also captured and held captive within the premises, where Peter now works as a guard assigned to Tris. After while, the tests are resumed, but before they can be completed, Tris’s vital signs drop and she appears to flatline. Her body is disconnected from the simulator and wheeled over to Four’s cell for the last farewell.

Unexpectedly, Tris awakens, and Peter assists Four in overpowering the guards, revealing that he is on their side, and that it was him who gave Tris an injection making her appear dead. Peter then goes to the control room and changes the security parameters, allowing Tris and Four access to the simulation room.

Tris, this time on her own will, passes the final test, the box opens, and, much to the chagrin of Jeanine, the message stored inside informs everyone that the entire walled city was an experiment whose goal was not the eradication, but emergence and propagation of the Divergent. Jeanine, realising that this revelation will undermine her grip on power, orders the box buried and Tris with Four executed.

Before this can happen though, the combined Factionless / Dauntless army storms the facility and liberates them. The message from the box is broadcast to the masses, eager to explore the world beyond the wall, who hail Tris as a hero…

Those who came to see the film in the expectation that it will bring something breathtakingly novel, original or exceptional, will be bitterly disappointed. As far as the storyline goes, Insurgent offers only another dose of the same mediocrity The Divergent Series has become synonymous with.

On the plus side, the movie concentrates less on the (ridiculously unconvincing) faction system of the Divergent universe that divides society into five groups based on personality traits (that was the major drawback of the first film) and more on the actual storyline and action scenes, which, mainly in their now trademark ‘virtual reality trials’ form, deliver on their promise. The film is not that bad as some would have you believe, but ultimately it can be recommended only to the die-hard fans of the series or to those under twelve.

In what was obviously a purely business decision, the third, and last, instalment of The Divergent Series is being broken into two parts. Ever since the last Harry Potter film, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, film studios have made a silly habit of splitting up the final film in a series, especially in young-adult franchises, into two parts. So now it all makes perfect sense: the next film will be ‘the first part of the third part’ of The Divergent Series. Mind boggles.

The Divergent Series: Allegiant – Part 1, also directed by Robert Schwentke, is scheduled to be released on 18 March 2016.