THE DIVERGENT SERIES: INSURGENT [2015]

Director Robert Schwentke takes over as director for Insurgent, the second film in the Divergent series, loosely based off of dystopian YA trilogy of novels (and in this day and age means we'll get four films).
Tris & her friends (and their amazing hair) are all back, now on the run, must chose sides as their society is on the brink of a full-fledged war that threatens...well...you know the rest.  The genre has been done to death by now and there isn't a whole lot that differs from film-to-film.  Fortunately, this second film is brought to life with some nifty set-pieces, imaginative action sequences and stronger confidence in itself that relieves the viewer from the bore that was the first film.    It doesn't do anything to distinguish itself from it's peers but with a bolder sense of direction it doesn't feels as aimless.

3 sleepy suicides out of 5

DIVERGENT [2014]

Neil Burger directs the youth oriented sci-fi fluff Divergent, the first part of a trilogy based off the novels of the same name.
In yet another dystopian future with great hair, folks are divided into separate factions based on their virtues, thus romance is born, enemies are made and once again it's time to overthrow that nasty ol' authority.  It seems to think it's more unique and wittier than it really is and instead comes off as a boring and predictable answer to the much more superior Hunger Games series.  It drags it's feet at a snail's pace to actually get anywhere which is insanely frustrating when you've figured out the entire story 5 minutes in.  If not for Shailene Woodley & Theo James' intriguing performances I might not have made it 30 minutes into this snoozefest which seems to be heading into far more interesting territory in the future instalments.

2 greatest fears out of 5