To maintain interest and momentum in one book is hard enough, and to sustain that same level of excitement in a trilogy is a Herculean effort.
Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” was one of those high-octane, edge-of-your-seat reads; its sequel, “Insurgent,” offered the same thrills and twists.
Unfortunately, “Allegiant,” the third and concluding book that would tie the entire series together, was problematic —not because of the ending but due to the various elements injected into the story.
Perhaps, if a fourth book had been written, it might have given all those new ideas breathing room.
We were a bit worried when “Allegiant,” the book series’ third film adaptation, was confirmed. If you’ve read the book, you’d know that the ending wouldn’t sit well with fans.
True enough, by late last year, reports said that “Allegiant” the movie would head toward an alternate ending and, based on what we watched, a slightly different version to the plot.
In fact, to differentiate between parts one and two, the first movie is called “The Divergent Series: Allegiant” (2016) while part two is titled “The Divergent Series: Ascendant” (2017).
In the first part of the final film, Tris (Shailene Woodley) and the gang make it past the wall and discover that their factions and way of living are nothing more than an experiment for a group obsessed with undoing the wrongs of genetic modification.
Those who are valued or hunted for being “Divergent” in Chicago find out that not all of them are relevant in this new “genetically pure” world, including Four (Theo James).
Abrupt ending
As with most concluding movies in two-part franchises, the first part has an exposition, a minor resolution and an abrupt ending that hints at things to come.
In “Allegiant” the book, most of the action happens toward the latter part of the series. But the movie speeds up the timeline and comes out with a major reveal for the characters to mull over until the second part.
This is where the book and the movie part ways, and the movie ends up better.
The visual effects used to create the dystopian world of “Divergent” get even more high-tech in “Allegiant.” We want to live in that world (minus the factions and segregation according to genetic perfection, of course).
Fans of the series will love the movie’s departure from the book because it’s like getting two different stories played out. That, and watching Theo James as Four, of course (better than your imagination!).
“The Divergent Series: Allegiant” (Pioneer Films) is now showing nationwide.