“Divergent” hits the mark as accurately as one of Four’s knives.

Released on March 21, “Divergent” features Shailene Woodley as Tris and Theo James as Four in this science fiction blockbuster set in a dystopian society that is split into factions.

These factions are the Abnegation (selflessness), the Amtiy (peacefullness), the Candor (honesty), the Dauntless (bravery), and the Erudite (intelligence), all valuing a different human characteristic and striving to live by that ideal.

Tris chooses to leave her family in Abnegation to become Dauntless. However, she discovers she is also Divergent. This  means she fits into more than one faction and her actions cannot be predicted or controlled by the rigid society structure, making her a danger to those in power.

For her safety she is told not to reveal her Divergent status.

The first part of the film sets up the faction society for the audience and introduces some of the many problems Tris will have to face.

Woodley does an excellent job portraying Tris’s indecision at the Choosing Ceremony, as well as her struggle to remain in Dauntless and her eventual elation at finally fitting in.

I found myself connecting with on-screen Tris much more than the Tris in Vernoica Roth’s book. Woodley’s portrayal makes her a much more likable character and encourages the audience to root for her, considering I was pretty apathetic toward her in the book.

Shortly after joining Dauntless, Tris and the others discover that just choosing Dauntless doesn’t make them members, just initiates.

In fact, only a fraction of the initiates will get to become members, as dictated by a scoreboard updated daily during their training.

Tris spends a dangerous amount of time below the cut line during her initial days in Dauntless.

Woodley accentuates Tris’s shortcomings perhaps even better than Roth does in the book, but she also presents her fierce determination to remain in her chosen faction.

Tris doesn’t know who to trust with the information that she’s Divergent. Another concern is the amount of time the Erudite and their leader Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet) spend in the Dauntless compound.

James also portrays a convincing Four both when sharing an intimate moment with Tris and when he’s hurling knives at her.

“Divergent” also has a number of poignant moments, including one suicide and the numerous deaths at the end of the movie.

Ashley Judd (Natalie Prior) lets the motherly love Prior has for Tris really shine through, making hers a more impactful death scene.

Tori (Maggie Q) and Jeanine Matthews (Kate Winslet) are both strong supporting characters that help break up the monotony of Dauntless training present in the book. Tori is suitably mysterious and formidable.

Winslet’s character, as the leader of Erudite, had an expanded role compared to hers in the book. Winslet portrayed Jeanine Matthews’ coldness and ruthlessness with a shiver-inducing delivery of her lines.

Laced throughout the film are breathtaking vistas, including a look at the decrepit future of Chicago, where the movie takes place, the dark and intimidating Dauntless compound, the view from the top of the Ferris wheel, and the buildings and structures that we see flashes of as Tris ziplines by.

“Divergent” as a film does not particularly set itself apart from others of its kind, such as “The Hunger Games,” but it was definitely worth seeing.

A few laugh-out-loud moments were mixed in with the tension and action, although the lead in before getting to the actual plotline was slightly longer than it could have been.

The film was complicated enough to keep it interesting, but still simple enough for someone who has not read the book to follow. I give it 3.5 of 4 Grizzly paws.