Divergent
Divergent is a 2014 American dystopian science fiction action film based on Veronica Roth's novel, set in a futuristic Chicago where society is divided into five factions based on virtues: Abnegation (selfless), Amity (kind), Candor (honest), Dauntless (brave), and Erudite (intelligent). The story follows Beatrice 'Tris' Prior, who discovers she is 'Divergent,' meaning she doesn't fit into any single faction and poses a threat to the controlled social order. She chooses to join the Dauntless faction, undergoing rigorous and dangerous training, while secretly navigating her unique abilities. The film explores themes of identity, conformity versus individuality, courage, and rebellion against oppressive systems. As Tris uncovers a sinister plot to control the population, she must rely on her Divergent nature and trust in newfound alliances to protect her loved ones and challenge the totalitarian government. The movie is geared towards a young adult audience, offering a blend of action, romance, and thought-provoking societal commentary, with content that includes intense violence and mature thematic elements.
Concerns
Violence
HighDivergent features frequent and intense violence, including hand-to-hand combat, weapon use, and multiple character deaths. The training sequences in the Dauntless faction are particularly brutal, often resulting in injuries and psychological torment. The film escalates to widespread armed conflict and executions.
Dauntless initiates engage in intense physical fights and are subjected to simulations where they are forced to confront fears like attacking animals, fire, and threatening figures. Tris is forced to kill her friend Will by shooting him, and her mother and father are both shot and killed during the climactic battle.
Scary & Intense Content
HighThe movie contains high levels of scary and intense content, including psychologically disturbing fear simulations, scenes of implied child abuse, and graphic depictions of violence and death during a dystopian civil conflict. The atmosphere is often tense and threatening, with main characters facing constant peril.
Fear simulations are vivid and terrifying, forcing Tris to confront her deepest fears, such as drowning, being attacked by crows, or facing engulfing flames. Tobias's fear simulation depicts his abusive father holding a belt, implying past physical abuse. Multiple characters, including Tris's parents, are shot and killed during the conflict, and a character's bloody, distorted body is shown after suicide.
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighDisrespect for established authority and overt rebellion are central and driving themes of 'Divergent.' The protagonist, Tris, defies societal norms and actively participates in an uprising against the ruling faction, highlighting the dangers and virtues of challenging oppressive systems.
Tris explicitly rejects her birth faction, Abnegation, to choose Dauntless, an act of significant defiance against her family and societal expectations. The entire narrative revolves around Tris and other Divergents actively rebelling against Jeanine Matthews and the Erudite faction's attempt to seize control and eradicate Divergents.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe film contains romantic elements between the lead characters, including passionate kissing and some suggestive scenes. While there is implied sexual activity, explicit acts are not shown. Nudity is limited to partial portrayals.
Tris is shown in her bra and pants while changing in a communal room with men and women. Four removes his shirt, revealing his tattoos, in a scene with Tris. During a fear simulation, Four aggressively attempts to initiate sex with Tris, pushing her onto a bed, but she resists and fights him off.
Profanity
MediumDivergent includes some coarse language, though specific extreme profanities are not frequently highlighted in reviews. The film does feature derogatory terms used to describe different factions, contributing to a sense of harshness in dialogue.
The derogatory term 'Stiff' is frequently used by members of other factions to refer to those from Abnegation, including Tris. Parental guidance notes mention 'some cursing and blasphemy' without detailing specific strong words.
Substance Use
MediumSubstance use is present and central to the plot, primarily involving the injection of various serums. These substances are used for psychological testing, inducing fear simulations, and for mass mind control, with repeated visual depictions of their administration.
Initiates are repeatedly injected with a serum to induce vivid fear simulations as part of their training. The Erudite faction develops and deploys a mind-control serum that turns most Dauntless members into obedient soldiers, who are then injected en masse.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowThe film 'Divergent' does not contain explicit LGBTQ+ characters, themes, or representation. Extensive searches, including those for creator statements and common parental review sites, yielded no confirmed instances of LGBTQ+ content within the movie's narrative or character portrayals.
No explicit LGBTQ+ content, characters, or themes were identified in the film 'Divergent' across multiple review platforms and direct searches for LGBTQ+ representation. Neither the primary plot nor character arcs involve discussions or depictions of diverse sexual orientations or gender identities. [No direct citation for absence]
Witchcraft & Occult
LowThe film does not contain elements of witchcraft, sorcery, or explicit occult practices. Its futuristic setting employs serums and simulations, which are presented as technological or scientific methods for psychological manipulation and control, rather than supernatural or magical phenomena.
Characters undergo aptitude tests involving a serum that induces psychological simulations or hallucinations. Later, the Dauntless faction is injected with a mind-control serum, rendering them 'mindless drones' for an attack, which is depicted as a scientific manipulation.
Anti-Christian Themes
LowThe film does not contain explicit anti-Christian themes. Its dystopian world is founded on a secular, faction-based societal structure, with no overt religious institutions or direct conflicts with Christian beliefs. The Abnegation faction's emphasis on selflessness is a societal virtue rather than a religious one.
There are no characters, plot points, or dialogue that directly mock, insult, or critique Christian beliefs or symbols. The fictional society's values, such as the Abnegation's selflessness, are presented within the context of the movie's dystopian framework without religious overtones. [No direct citation for absence]
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Not recommended for children under 15, suitable for those 15 and older. The movie's PG-13 rating is justified by intense violence, thematic elements, and some sensuality. Australian parental guides specifically advise against it for those under 15 due to disturbing scenes and mature themes, suggesting it's better for older teenagers who can process complex dystopian narratives and frequent peril.
Additional Notes
The 'Divergent' series later faced a change in production plans for its final installment, 'Ascendant,' which was initially planned as a two-part film but was eventually canceled as a theatrical release due to the underperformance of 'Allegiant.' The overall series maintains a consistent tone regarding violence and thematic intensity across its installments.
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