I went intoAllegiant,the third and penultimate film in theDivergentfranchise, fully expecting to be bored by it.

But boredom was not what I found withAllegiant.Are the plot mechanics half-baked?

Are the character arcs underdeveloped?

But, against all odds,Allegiantkept me engaged throughout its two hour runtime.

(The limitations of the faction system are now only a vague memory of a plot unit.

There are even mini-drones that get more screen time than actors who have won Academy Awards.

In watchingAllegiant,I couldnt help but wonderwhat kind of TV showthis adaptation could have made.

The story even edges up towards colonialist critique a few times before scampering away in fear.

The film also skates over some pretty intense questions about eugenics without really engaging in them.

This, more than any other superficial exploration of theme, felt like a misstep.

You cant just bandy around culturally loaded words like pure and not articulate what youre trying to say.

In the age of Donald Drumpf, we need more.

(I miss you,Arrowseason 1.)

No,Allegiantdoesnt have much time for the over-25s.

Theo James gets to do more, and Four is the real hero/protagonist this time around.

(The second third of this film was crying out for a montage.)

This also means that, much of the tensions her choices create come off as convoluted drama.

Rating:

2.5 out of 5