Allegiant obeys the seemingly compulsory rule of hacking YA denouements in two. The action’s rather thinly-stretched and uneven, with repetitive stricken-faced arguments between the faction(less) leaders inside the city, and rushed-over new characters encountered by Tris and Four beyond Chicago’s wall, who we presume will gain more substance next time.

In this harsh new (well designed!) environment lurks jovial geneticist Jeff Daniels, stoking good arguments and enabling our leads to, thankfully, up their chemistry and lessen their schmaltziness. There’s also plenty of Teller, but at the risk of over-egging the pudding.

We’re clearly on hold for 2017’s Ascendant.

The Divergent series chugs along, its mediocrity transcended, as always, by Woodley and James’ commitment. Almost unforgivably clichéd final moments will only be righted by the carnage of the (final) finale.

RATING: 2/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Jeff Daniels, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts, Zoë Kravitz, Octavia Spencer 

DIRECTOR: Robert Schwentke

WRITERS: Noah Oppenheim, Adam Cooper and Bill Collage (screenplay), Veronica Roth (novel)

SYNOPSIS: Following on from the outside world’s startling message at the end of Insurgent, Tris (Woodley), Four (James) and various faction allies rebelliously scale the wall and journey beyond Chicago to uncover the truth of what lies beyond their city – and its very purpose.