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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

Divergent
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ashley Judd, Tony Goldwyn, Jai Courtney, and Kate Winslet
About: There are two types of films that seem to be ever-present at the Box Office. The first is superhero movies. You can bank on having up to a half dozen superhero films a year, it seems. This summer has already seen two in May, with another having bowed in April and more set for later in the summer. The other staple at the Box Office seems to be movies based on Young Adult Fiction books. Blame "Harry Potter" if you want, but there has been an explosion over the last decade. The "Twilight" franchise made a boatload at the Box Office, and "The Hunger Games" is careening toward its explosive conclusion and hundreds of millions more at the Box Office. Into that fray comes "Divergent," the first of a trilogy based on the novels by Veronica Roth. It's set in a dystopian future, features a love story, and is centered on a teen girl who is soon to be tasked with saving the world. The formula is familiar, but it takes more than that to make these films successful. For every "Hunger Games" there has been a couple bombs, like last summer's "Mortal Instruments" film and Disney's swing and a miss with "Beautiful Creatures." But with Woodley, and a strong supporting cast around her, "Divergent" feels like something that could develop a "Hunger Games"-like following. The first movie had a lot of ground to cover. It had to introduce the world, introduce the characters, advance the story, and set the stakes. It also had to build the central relationship between heroine Tris (Woodley) and her beau, Four (James). Those who are fans of the book have argued that the film shortchanged some of the story lines in an effort to get the whole story into a 140-minute movie. That being said, having not read the books, I didn't have trouble following the story or getting into the arc of the characters. Woodley — much like Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games" — is an incredible talent. She has done a mix of smaller, independent dramas and franchises, and she shines in both. She is great in the lead role here, and that's key to making a film like this a success. "Divergent" does a good job of laying the groundwork, now it's just about seeing where the series will go.
Rating: PG-13 for intense violence and action, thematic elements and some sensuality.
Verdict: Three stars out of four

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, June 20 — "Think Like A Man Too," "Jersey Boys," "The Rover"
Friday, June 27 — "Transformers: Age of Extinction," "Snow Piercer"