Earlier today, Ka Mun and I went to watch Divergent at 1Utama. We both read the book so obviously we had expected something beforehand. Now let me tell you what I think after watching it.

Firstly, let's start with the main characters. Shailene Woodley and Theo James. I am fine with Shailene being Tris because to me she honestly fit as a 16 years old teenager but Theo... No offence to any Theo fans but Four is meant to be 18 years old and have this some kind of spark with Tris. I don't know if it was just me but I can't feel the chemistry between Four and Tris in the movie not as much as in the book. Through out the movie believe me, I tried changing my thought towards Theo but NO he just not that kind of dude to be playing Four. Halfway through the movie, I started to think the guy playing Al fits Four better than Theo.

Secondly, the movie lacks SO MUCH of details that if you didn't read the book the movie basically won't make any sense. At the beginning itself, no explanation were given about how the changing of faction works and that they can choose their own faction at the age of 16 and what not. There was also some characters who wasn't that important to be featured like Tris and Caleb's neighbour, Susan and Robert which I think still plays a role in the book. It's like they never existed. Okay fine maybe that's not such a big deal.

But then you have a different kind of situation. Beatrice's mum and Will died at the wrong time and place. It was so obvious how it trailed off so far than where it should've happen. Then towards the part where Tris was 'saving' Tobias during the war, the place was not what I remembered reading from the book. Tobias was in the Control Room because he's a computer programmer NOT sitting blindly while the Erudites were busy doing all the controlling.
THEY LITERALLY CHANGE THE WHOLE FACT! /shock Don't even get me started on how Eric was introduced at the wrong scene. Or that Al was supposed to have a crush on Tris.

I could go on and on with this. 

In the movie there was neither Visiting Day nor there was a proper Dauntless Initiation Day like I imagined. Tris's mum was supposed to tell Tris to ask Caleb about the serum that Erudites has been working on but it was no where near that. Everything seems jumbled up and becoming nonsense. Also during the Initiation Day, all the Dauntless were supposed to be watching the initiates in their fear landscape though only certain people can see what they are going through but in the movie it was so sudden that Tris were the only one to be called to enter her fear landscape while she's surrounded by Erudites.
It felt really weird and there wasn't any flow to the plot. /blur

I understand that maybe time was a big problem but at least add some sense into the plot. The part of the movie that's based on the book was basically the 5 factions, the love story between Tris and Four, the simulation war and all BUT the original plot from the book. It was kinda a let down since I didn't expect much changes. It could be better though. I still love the book... just maybe a little too much.

Xx,

Melynn.