Films for Thoughts on Thursday: Insurgent


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This weeks movie review will be for:


Insurgent


Look, most of the time I don't feel like getting straight to the point when it comes to movie reviews. I like to talk about the movie in general and then give my final verdict. But I need to just get this out of the way... Insurgent was absolutely terrible. I want to be able to lie and tell you that I enjoyed it... but I really didn't. I was expecting to quite enjoy it, considering how much I enjoyed the first film. But I admit to going into the movie with the lowest of expectations, which really should have meant that it couldn't be anywhere near as disappointing as I was expecting it to be. The movie proved me wrong!

I should have known after seeing the advert that this really wasn't going to be the sequel I had hoped for. It just looked so very different to the first movie and absolutely nothing like the book. But that wasn't necessarily a bad thing, considering the fact that I didn't enjoy the second book as much as Divergent. But I saw the trailer for Insurgent and my only thought was:


And my reaction didn't really change when I went and saw the actual film. I just didn't understand, where did this mysterious fucking box had come from? And what the hell were these cables that could snake down and somehow suspend a rather heavy human being in the air? What was all this futuristic technology that had appeared out of nowhere? Anyone who read the books knows that most of the city was basic. The trailer hadn't won me over but I'd hoped the film was going to surprise me in the same way Divergent did... It didn't. 

It seems like the film studio were in too much of a hurry to get this movie made and out into theatres. Everything about it ends up feeling rushed and the film suffers tremendously because of it. Everything about it feels rather weak when compared to other YA dystopian films recently, and even in comparison to Divergent. This was released almost exactly a year after Divergent, but I felt they should have taken a bit longer and wrote a stronger script first. The best sequel I've seen in a long time was Catching Fire, you can see why the studio took a year and a half to release that one. They actually listened to critics of the first film and worked hard to make a sequel that was better than the first film in every way. Sadly that wasn't the case with the Insurgent sequel. 

How I'd feel if I were a part of this movie.
I absolutely adore Shailene Woodley, I think she is one incredibly talented actress. She's incredible in everything she does, but her talent is just completed wasted here. She's given such a weak script that it's hard for even someone as talented as her to make it seem even half decent. I feel bad that her talent seems to be wasted on a series that's probably only going to get worse as it goes on. I mean, seriously, how can you split the snooze fest of Allegiant into two movies and make it seem even slightly interesting? 

I have to admit something here that I know a lot of people probably won't understand. I have never really gotten what all the fuss is about when it comes to Theo James. I've just never really seen what the appeal is. He kind of won me over in Divergent, but he has never felt like a realistic Four to me and I could never really find him believable in the role. This got worse with the sequel, especially since the chemistry between Four and Tris is lacking so much in this movie. 

This perfectly sums up Peter in this film!!!
There is one thing you definitely need to know though... Peter is amazing! Yes, I mean Peter. Peter, the guy who I spent most of the book series absolutely despising and wishing death upon. Well he is the only thing in this movie that I liked. Heck, I didn't even like him... I loved him. He brought so much comic relief to this film and it was exactly what it needed. It needed far more than they gave it. Miles Teller was just fantastic in this film and he made Peter suddenly become my favourite character in the film. That guy has all of the greatest lines in the entire film. I bow down to Teller! 

This movie was just confusing, and that's coming from someone who has read the book. I understand their reasons for adding the box to the movie, but it just felt so stupid. And what's with them suddenly having scanners that can instantly tell what percentage Divergent you are or what your faction is. How is someone a faction? They get the choice to pick! That was just stupid. Then we have the box itself which still makes no sense to me. Especially the ridiculous wires that come down from the ceiling and magically suspend Tris. I found myself laughing at this movie for all the wrong reasons. 

Me and the boyfriend during
 this whole film!
My biggest issue with the whole film was probably how poorly it flowed. The pace just felt all wrong because they'd gone for action over storytelling. The plot got confusing and lacked a lot because they just concentrated on action scenes. The movie basically went: walking, action scene, walk somewhere else, action scene, more walking, action scene, dragged somewhere, action scene, action scene. It was just packed full of special effects and that doesn't make up for the poor script. You can't just throw in a million action sequences and think that will suddenly make it a good movie. It doesn't.

4/10 Butterflies

This movie was just one big hot mess! Yes, we'd all like to be able to see a sequel to a movie as soon as possible but it shouldn't be rushed. They should have worked more on the script rather than trying to fit in as many action sequences and special effects as they possibly could. As if special effects were really going to make up for the lack of story. The only saving grace in this movie is Peter. Peter brings much needed comic relief to what is, essentially, a special effects ridden piece of drivel




A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas: Spoiler Free Review


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16 comments:

  1. Saw a lack of chemistry between Theo and Shailene in this one. Very disappointing in that sense, since that part has nothing much to do with the script.

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  2. My oldest went and saw this and basically said the same thing! Glad it wasn't just her (well, her and all her friends that went with her!). I'm sad because I really did enjoy this first one.

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    1. I loved the first one, the sequel just wasn't strong at al. Scared to continue the series after this.

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  3. Oh dear, you certainly didn't like this one! I've read Divergent and plan to watch the film soon but I haven't yet read the rest of the series. Sounds like I don't need to if the film is very different. I hate it when a book is destroyed for the big screen. I'll still watch this at some point but I'm glad for the warnings!

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    1. I really wish it had been as strong as the first movie, but it was just a hot mess.

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  4. I had the exact same feelings about Insurgent! I just couldn't get my head around where the stupid box came from! It was so stupid and I totally agree about the cable snake things... what the hell?! I like Shailene, but I'm not a big fan of her as Tris. Whether it's her acting or the actual script, I'm not sure. And I totally agree with you about Theo, I don't understand his appeal! He just isn't Four!

    Peter saved the movie for me too. It was amazing how much they made you love a character you completely hated in the books. I'm hoping for A LOT more Peter from now on.

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    1. I don't get her as Tris either and Theo will never be Four for me. I NEED MORE PETER!

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  5. I did the same thing, went in with 0 expectations. The trailer(s) were terrible. But I did actually enjoy the film. It's definitely not anywhere as good as Divergent. And there was a ton that I scratched my head over. BUT I guess I just tried to enjoy it for what it was, a film loosely based on the book. It's sad really because Insurgent the book is one of my favourites. I love it so much. So I was definitely disappointed with the lack of my favourite bites(like Uriah) in the movie. I guess the Divergent movies will just never be The Hunger Games.
    AND YES, PETER IS AMAZING! He really saved a lot of the movie for me. He better be involved in Allegiant a lot more than in the books.
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

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    1. PETER WAS INCREDIBLE!!! I hope he takes up like 90% of Allegiant, haha.

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  6. Insurgent was better than I thought it would be (but I didn't have high expectations after reading the book) but it still wasn't great.
    I'm not sure if I'm going to bother watching Allegiant.
    Great review! :)

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    1. I don't know if I will either, I'm not looking forward to it at all.

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  7. I haven't seen Insurgent and even though it hasn't been getting the most positive reviews I still sorta feel like I need to :3 The more I think about Divergent the more I am disliking that movie and I was hoping to be redeemed by Insurgent, but I think I have to wait out on that. AND THANK YOU because I am someone who was never that crazy about Theo James either. I do think they could've done better casting for Four >.> I love Shailene Woodley though, and it's good to see that the bad points of this movie weren't down to weak acting on her part. I just can't see why they added everything to a city that didn't have all that stuff >.> Messing with the book again...

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    1. I think you should still see it if you want to, but I'd love to hear your thoughts after you do. YAY! I am happy to find more people who don't get Theo, he's just never done anything for me.

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  8. Welcome back to the blogosphere! I feel so disoriented after being away for literally several weeks without a wink. O_O I actually thought Divergent was pretty good, surprisingly! I decided some time ago I wouldn't bother with the books. But when I saw the trailer for Insurgent, I was reeeeally confused. there wasn't any disconcernable plot. It was all very bizarre O_O Great review!

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    1. The movie is just so bizarre and nothing like the book. I am looking forward to you coming back and writing some more posts!!! :)

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