Insurgent

This highly-anticipated sequel to 2014's Divergent is set in a dystopian futuristic Chicago, where society is rigidly divided into five factions according to skill and aptitude: Amity (peaceful), Abnegation (selfless), Candor (honest), Dauntless (brave), and Erudite (intelligent), while the dispossessed Outsiders are known as Factionless. Megalomaniacal leader of the Erudite, Jeanine (Kate Winslet), has discovered a mysterious box containing information from the founders of a new civilization. She is sure that it holds the answer to the dilemma of the Divergents, who are considered dangerous because they have attributes of multiple factions. Problem is: Jeanine needs a Divergent to open it. Meanwhile, reluctant Divergent heroine Beatrice “Tris” Prior (Shailene Woodley) is on the run with other rebels. Having lost her parents in a recent battle, Tris is haunted by nightmares, full of guilt and grief. Joining Tris are her seemingly meek brother, Caleb (Ansel Elgort), whose allegiances are shifting; Candor pal Christina (Zoe Kravitz); conniving frenemy Peter (Miles Teller); and a hunky protector known as Four (Theo James), whose murky past is revealed. Adapted from the second book in Veronica Roth's derivative YA trilogy, director Robert Schwentke's Insurgent is an action-packed sci-fi saga that often seems too frantic, serving up plenty of hallucinatory simulations and breathless chase scenes at the expense of character development. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary with producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher, a “Marketing Gallery” with an “HBO First Look” segment and other promos (28 min.), and a “From Divergent to Insurgent” behind-the-scenes featurette (5 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are the production segments “Insurgent Unlocked: The Ultimate Behind-the-Scenes Access” (117 min.), “The Others: Cast and Characters” (4 min.), “The Train Fight Unlocked” (4 min.), “Divergent: Adapting Insurgent to the Screen” (4 min.), “The Peter Hayes Story” on the character (3 min.), and bonus digital and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a shallow sequel.] (S. Granger)