“She really did stand on that ledge,” director Neil Burger marveled to EW months ago about one of the main set-piece stunts in the upcoming YA dystopian sci-fi film, “Divergent” featuring his up-and-coming lead Shailene Woodley. “She’s incredibly game and so adventurous. In a way, she’s very Dauntless” (that’s code for the faction of people in this world that are brave).
Wanna see that scene in question? Well, MTV has a sneak peek clip which you can watch below, in addition to over 30 new images from the film. Meanwhile, reviews are rolling in, and most reaction seems to mixed, and even our “positive” takes sounds a little reluctant. Todd Gilchrist writes, “At almost 140 minutes, there’s no better way to describe ‘Divergent’ than as a bit of a slog,” but ultimately concedes it’s “probably [the] second-best among the YA adaptations that Hollywood has mounted since ‘Twilight’.” Ok, so buyer beware I guess.
But it still might connect with a younger audience. “A lot of who Tris is resonated with me,” Woodley told the L.A. Times recently said of her character. “When I was her age, I was going through a lot of those struggles. I had to balance being compassionate and empathetic toward my peers and also living my life for myself. She was raised in a society where she had to be selfless and then join a faction that’s all about being selfish—she had to find the balance between that.”
“Divergent” projections for opening weekend are currently in the $50 million-ish area so regardless of reviews, don’t underestimate it. “Divergent” opens in theaters this Friday, March 21st. Check out the clip and new photos below.
