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Film Review: ‘The Divergent Series: Insurgent’

With another year to go before things get really interesting in the 'The Divergent Series,' this sci-fi sequel rehashes much of what we already learned in the first movie.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

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From the beginning, women have been the heroes, villains, role models and leaders in Veronica Roth’s “ Divergent ” series, so it should come as no surprise that its year-later sequel, “ Insurgent ,” advances the paradigm, adding a formidable new character in Naomi Watts ’ Evelyn — albeit one with not much to do until the next installment. Just as the exposition-heavy “Divergent” promised big things to come, director Robert Schwentke ’s like-minded follow-up remains squarely forward-focused, but lacks the moment-to-moment thrill of puzzling out versatile protagonist Tris Prior’s place in a society designed to categorize its citizens into one of five rigidly defined factions. Here, Tris knows her role, and instead spends most of the movie coming to terms with the casualties already on her conscience, making this entire deja vu episode feel like a hurdle the franchise must clear before moving on to its two-part finale.

Though marketed as a kid sister to “The Hunger Games” franchise, right down to its optimistic four-film release strategy (which suddenly feels a bit riskier after the slight dip “Mockingjay” experienced at the B.O.), Summit’s “Divergent” series boasts a significantly different narrative arc from that of Suzanne Collins’ girl-power trilogy. Rather than building up to a massive insurrection, Roth compresses the overthrow of her dystopian police state — what remains of Chicago, now encircled by a high-powered electric fence — into book two, while laying the groundwork for a whole new set of secrets and surprises to follow.

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At this point, the series’ big mystery seems to be just how divergent the next two pics will be from Roth’s vision, especially considering a certain permeability in the way “Insurgent” redefines the protective barrier surrounding the city. Tris (the wonderfully relatable Shailene Woodley ) and her b.f./bodyguard, Four ( Theo James , who’s more man than the “Twilight” and “Hunger Games” hunks combined), appeared to be riding a train directly toward that wall as the credits rolled on “Divergent,” and yet the sequel takes place entirely within its confines, ending with a revelation that could allow the forthcoming “Allegiant” movies to go in an entirely unexpected direction, if the producers were so inclined.

Meanwhile, true to its source, “Insurgent” opens in Amity, where the peace-and-love faction is sheltering those on the run from the power-hungry Jeanine ( Kate Winslet ), whose intelligent Erudite class has ousted the selfless members of Abnegation and seized control of the city, mobilizing the brave Dauntless faction as her private police force. Ostensibly the most cunning human being alive, Jeanine makes several grave miscalculations in her plans for how to control the perceived threat — starting with her faulty assumption that Divergent citizens (those, like Tris, who don’t fit into any one group) necessarily represent a threat in the first place. More foolish still is her conviction that a locked box hidden by Tris’ now-deceased mom (Ashley Judd, resurfacing in dreams and flashbacks) contains a message from the city’s founders that will somehow justify Jeanine’s ruthless dictatorial control.

The box, which was invented by the screenwriters to provide a handful of cinematic sequences for the movie, can only be opened by a Divergent strong enough to pass five “sims” — tests calibrated to the skills of each faction. Packed into the film’s last half-hour, these setpieces represent “Insurgent’s” best effort at re-creating the surreal excitement of the first movie, allowing Tris to perform such superhuman feats as chasing a burning building across the sky and crashing through a bulletproof control-booth window. But that misses the point, since it wasn’t merely the visual effects that made “Divergent” exciting, but the vicarious way director Neil Burger and his screenwriters (all of whom have been replaced for the sequel) invited audiences to discover the rules of this unfamiliar sci-fi world alongside their lead character.

To an extent, that earlier film was as much like “The Matrix” as it was “The Hunger Games,” teasing the imagination with virtual-reality training environments, nested dream-within-dream illusions and talents that defy physical constraints. But instead of pushing deeper down the rabbit hole, as the Wachowskis did with their sequels, “Insurgent” actually backtracks and opts to build out the “real world” in which it takes place. Instead of adding layers to the ensemble (such young talents as Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Jai Courtney and Zoe Kravitz are all but wasted, providing one-dimensional opposition), this strategy offers a chance for Schwentke’s below-the-line crew to excel, as they seamlessly expand upon what Burger and his team established.

Whereas “Divergent” split its time between Abnegation and Dauntless, the new film attempts to give equal time to the other classes, including the aforementioned Amity (which looks like a hippie farming cult, overseen by Octavia Spencer), honesty-loving Candor (whose chief justice, played by Daniel Dae Kim, subjects Tris and Four to a trial by truth serum), and those who simply don’t fit in — the factionless, overseen by Watts’ duplicitous queen, Evelyn. Dangerous and feral, the factionless pose a far greater threat to Jeanine’s regime than the Divergents do, as the ruthless despot will realize too late.

Although her villain has genocidal intentions, Roth demonstrates a far different attitude toward violence than Collins did in “The Hunger Games,” which encouraged a certain bloodlust with its “Battle Royale”-style premise. By contrast, Roth’s characters must deal primarily with the emotional consequences of their actions: Tris is haunted by the three deaths she carries on her conscience, and somewhere along the way, one of the film’s three writers (Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman and Mark Bomback) came up with a rather poignant scene in which she finally manages to forgive herself.

While it doesn’t necessarily excuse gun battles so brutal you can’t always keep up with the body count, this attitude lends a certain sense of responsibility to the action, which still feels clumsier than a franchise of this caliber deserves. On multiple occasions, Tris opts to spare her adversaries outright, suggesting that perhaps she truly does represent a more evolved form of the violent humans from whom she descends. And then there’s the matter of how the film handles a major character’s “death” — one of those possum feints that fools no one in the audience, but somehow dupes the film’s smartest character. Suffice to say, there’s nothing Erudite in the way that whole situation plays out.

Considering that “Insurgent” is meant to represent the series’ great civil war, it all comes across feeling like a tempest in a teapot: a glorified rehash of what came before, garnished with the promise of what lies in store. Evelyn has been introduced, but barely used; Tris got to confront her guilt while redemonstrating her Divergent skills; and the central couple has inched just a little bit closer to crossing that mysterious wall. Perhaps instead of splitting the third book into two movies, they should have considered combining the first two into one.

Reviewed at Gaumont Ambassade, Paris, March 11, 2015. MPAA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 118 MIN.

• Production: A Lionsgate release of a Summit presentation of a Red Wagon Entertainment, Mandeville Films production. Produced by Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Pouya Shahbazian. Executive producers, Todd Lieberman, David Hoberman, Barry Waldman, Neil Burger. Co-producer, Tina Anderson.
• Crew: Directed by Robert Schwentke. Screenplay, Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman, Mark Bomback, based on the novel by Veronica Roth. Camera (Fotokem prints, Technicolor, widescreen, 3D, Imax), Florian Ballhaus; editors, Nancy Richardson, Stuart Levy; music, Joseph Trapanese; production designer, Alec Hammond; supervising art director, Alan Hook; art directors, Jay Pelissier, Kathy Lucas; set decorator, Kathy Lucas; costume designer, Louise Mingenbach; sound (Dolby Atmos/Datasat), Peter J. Devlin; sound designers, Jon Title, Harry Cohen; supervising sound editors, Dave McMoyler, Wylie Stateman; re-recording mixers, Michael Minkler, Christian P. Minkler; visual effects supervisor, James Madigan; visual effects producer, Erika McKee; visual effects, Double Negative, Double Negative Singapore, Animal Logic VFX, Method Studios, Milk Visual Effects, Lola VFX, Capital T; special effects supervisor, John Frazier; special effects coordinator, Brun Van Zeebroeck; special makeup effects KNB, Greg Nicotero, Howard Berger; stereoscopic supervisor, Scott Willman; stereoscopic producer, Heather Wilman; 3D conversion and visual effects, Legend3D, Gener8; stunt coordinator, Darrin Prescott; second unit directors, Madigan, G.A. Aguilar; associate producer, Julia T. Enescu; casting, Mary Vernieu, Venus Kanani.
• With: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Jai Courtney, Mekhi Phifer, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Octavia Spencer, Zoe Kravitz, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Tony Goldwyn, Ashley Judd, Naomi Watts, Keiynan Lonsdale, Daniel Dae Kim.

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"Divergent" is all about identity—about searching your soul and determining who you are and how you fit in as you emerge from adolescence to adulthood. So it's all too appropriate that the film version of the wildly popular young adult novel struggles a bit to assert itself as it seeks to appeal to the widest possible audience.

It's the conundrum so many of these types of books face as they become pop-culture juggernauts and film franchises: which elements to keep to please the fervent fans and which to toss in the name of maintaining a lean, speedy narrative? The "Harry Potter" and "Hunger Games" movies—which "Divergent" resembles in myriad ways—were mostly successful in finding that balance.

In bringing the first novel of Veronica Roth's best-selling trilogy to the screen, director Neil Burger (" Limitless ") and screenwriters Evan Daugherty and Vanessa Taylor have included key moments and images but tweaked others to streamline the mythology and move the story along. The results can be thrilling but the film as a whole feels simultaneously overlong and emotionally truncated.

Folks who've read the book will probably be satisfied with the results, while those unfamiliar with the source material may dismiss it as derivative and inferior. (Stop me if you think you've heard this one before: "Divergent" takes place in a rigidly structured, dystopian future where one extraordinary girl will serve either as its destroyer or its savior.) But the performances—namely from stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James and Kate Winslet in a juicy supporting role—always make the movie watchable and often quite engaging.

In the fenced-off remnants of a post-war Chicago 100 years from now, society has been broken down into five factions—groups of people arranged by a primary, defining trait. The Amity are happy, hippie farmers who dress in shades of sorbet. The Candor run the judicial system and value truth about all else. The Erudite are the serious-minded scholars who wear conservative, dark blue. The Abnegation are known for their selflessness and modesty. And the pierced-and-tatted Dauntless are the brave soldiers who protect the city from … who knows what? Whatever the perceived threat is, it requires them to run, scream and practice parkour wherever they go.

Woodley's Beatrice Prior is a member of the Abnegation alongside her brother, Caleb ( Ansel Elgort ), and their parents ( Ashley Judd and Tony Goldwyn ). They dress in drab colors, eat simply and are only allowed to steal a quick glance in the mirror once every three months when it's time for a haircut. Basically, they're no fun, and Beatrice has a wild streak in her that she's been forced to suppress.  

When she undergoes the aptitude test required of all teens, which determines which faction is the best reflection of one's true nature, her results are inconclusive. She's got pieces of a few different places in her, which makes her what's known as Divergent, which makes her dangerous. Thinking for yourself is a naughty thing in this world, apparently; plus, the angsty inner conflict that rages within Beatrice is something to which the target audience for the book (and the movie) surely can relate.

At the annual Choosing Ceremony, where the teens use their test results to pick the faction they want to join for the rest of their lives—like the last night of sorority rush, mixed with the "Harry Potter" sorting hat—Beatrice dares to choose Dauntless. This means she can never see her family again. (Man, the rules are strict in dystopian futures.) But it also means she gets to train to unleash the bad-ass that's been lurking inside her all along.

Renaming herself Tris, our heroine must learn how to fight, shoot, jump from moving trains, throw knives and control her mind in a series of harrowing simulations, all while competing against a couple dozen other initiates in a demanding ranking system. Eric (a coolly intimidating Jai Courtney ) is the merciless Dauntless leader who's taking the faction—which was founded on the notion of noble courage—in a more militant and vicious direction.

But the hunky trainer who goes by the name Four (James) is the one who will have a greater impact on the woman Tris will become. Quietly and generically brooding at first, James reveals more depth and shading to his conflicted character as the story's stakes increase. He and Woodley have an easy chemistry with each other, but the romance that took its time and smoldered on the page feels a bit rushed on the screen.

Similarly, the supporting figures who had identifiable personalities in the book mostly blend into the background here, including Tris' best friend, Christina ( Zoe Kravitz ). But it is extremely amusing to see Miles Teller , who played Woodley's first love last year in the wonderful " The Spectacular Now ," serve as her enemy here as the conniving fellow initiate Peter. The smart-alecky Teller is also the only actor here who gets to have much fun. With the exception of a few major set pieces—the zip-line ride from the top of the John Hancock Center, for example—"Divergent" is a rather dark and heavy endeavor.

Woodley, though, by virtue of the sheer likability of her presence, keeps you hanging on, keeps you rooting for her. She may not have the blazing, rock-star power of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in " The Hunger Games ," but there's a subtlety and a naturalism to her performance that make her very accessible and appealing. And when she needs to crank it up and kick some butt—as she does in a climactic scene with Winslet as the evil Erudite leader who's hell-bent on eradicating Divergents and maintaining control—she doesn't oversell it.

Plus, there could be worse role models for the eager adolescent audience than a young woman who's thoughtful, giving and strong—all at once. The inevitable sequel will show us what else she's got in her.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film Credits

Divergent (2014)

Rated PG-13

143 minutes

Shailene Woodley as Beatrice Prior / Tris

Theo James as Tobias "Four" Eaton

Kate Winslet as Jeanine Matthews

Miles Teller as Peter

Jai Courtney as Eric

Zoë Kravitz as Christina

Ansel Elgort as Caleb Prior

Ray Stevenson as Marcus Eaton

Maggie Q as Tori

• Neil Burger
• Evan Daugherty
• Vanessa Taylor

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Movie Review: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The fourth film in the latest reboot of this franchise delivers exactly what you’d expect with regard to its story and violence.

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for a... Read all Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike. Many years after the reign of Caesar, a young ape goes on a journey that will lead him to question everything he's been taught about the past and make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

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The idea of you, common sense media reviewers.

Book-based romance has a few steamy scenes, language.

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It's good to be able to open up to another person.

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"F--k," "f--kboy," "s--t," "twat," "penis," "d--k,

Coachella, TikTok, Sirius, Subaru, The Graham Nort

Adults drink alcohol, sometimes to excess (there's

Parents need to know that The Idea of You is based on the same-named novel by Robinne Lee about the unexpected romance between 40-year-old mom Solène (Anne Hathaway) and 24-year-old pop star Hayes (Nicholas Galitzine). There's no graphic nudity, but sex scenes include kissing, undressing, removing a woman's…

Positive Messages

It's good to be able to open up to another person. Age shouldn't matter in love. Don't trust what you read about celebrities online.

Positive Role Models

The main characters both have trust issues, but they find and give love. Solène is a caring mother. She learns to put aside her anger and disappointment about the dissolution of her own marriage. Her ex-husband is a hypocrite who left her for a much younger woman but disparages her relationship.

Diverse Representations

Main characters are White Americans or Brits. Secondary characters, including members of the boy band and a teen friend group, are Black. The story is based on a popular book by a Black female author of Jamaican, African, Chinese, and British descent.

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Violence & Scariness

A woman is bullied online when she's photographed with a famous younger man. It's clear that a reverse-gender version of their relationship would not outrage so many. She's called a "cougar," "Yoko Ono 2.0," a "whore," and more. Her friend says, "People hate happy women." He's accused of having "mommy issues." Paparazzi chase her entire family. Teenagers tease her daughter about her mother's relationship, making sexual comments.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Sex scenes include kissing, undressing, removing a woman's undergarments, touching, lying on top of each other, rolling around in bed, suggestion of orgasm, mention of an orgy, penis pictures, being "hot," sleeping with other people, and "screwing." No intimate parts are shown. A woman compares her body to that of a younger woman and pushes up her breasts in the mirror. A woman accuses a man of being an "ASMR" type who likes to listen to people urinate.

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"F--k," "f--kboy," "s--t," "twat," "penis," "d--k," "whore," "bitch," "sleazy," and "creep."

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Adults drink alcohol, sometimes to excess (there's mention of being drunk and having hangovers). A person simulates lighting a cigarette. A daughter asks if her mother is high again because she's acting strangely.

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Idea of You is based on the same-named novel by Robinne Lee about the unexpected romance between 40-year-old mom Solène ( Anne Hathaway ) and 24-year-old pop star Hayes ( Nicholas Galitzine ). There's no graphic nudity, but sex scenes include kissing, undressing, removing a woman's undergarments, intimate touching, rolling around in bed, and the suggestion of orgasm. There's also mention of an orgy, penis pictures, talk of being "hot" and sleeping with other people, and use of the term "screwing." The characters' age difference leads to some online bullying/harassment: Solène is called a "cougar," "Yoko Ono 2.0," a "bitch," a "whore," and more, and Hayes is accused of having "mommy issues." Solène's teenage daughter is also trolled. Language also includes "f--k," "f--kboy," "s--t," "twat," "penis," "d--k," "whore," "bitch," "sleazy," and "creep." Adults drink alcohol, and there are some heated/emotional verbal exchanges. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Based on 2 parent reviews

Ok movie but definitely a Harry Styles fanfic

What's the story.

In THE IDEA OF YOU, 40-year-old mom/art gallery owner Solène ( Anne Hathaway ) accidentally meets 24-year-old band member Hayes Campbell ( Nicholas Galitzine ) behind the scenes at Coachella. The two feel an instant connection, and Hayes seeks her out later at her Los Angeles gallery. Sparks fly, and suddenly Solène, a bitter divorcée with a teenage daughter (Ella Rubin), finds herself flying off to New York and then Europe for an unexpected romance with this younger man. But will their growing connection be able to withstand the withering eyes of his bandmates, her family and friends, and judgmental society?

Is It Any Good?

An enjoyable romance that takes itself a tad too seriously in the second half, this film is driven by alluring turns from Hathaway and Galitzine. The premise of The Idea of You is centered on the idea that, at 40, Hathaway's Solène is considered too old for Galitzine's 24-year-old boy band member, Hayes. Society judges her, and she judges herself. But it's hard to think of the stunning Hathaway as "old," even when she's dodging awkward flirtation from divorced dads at her 40th birthday party in one of the film's funniest early scenes. Unfortunately, the film gives up on the humor and veers into melodrama as it works its way to a drawn-out ending. In this, and in the unhurried sex scenes focused on Solène's pleasure, the film makes its target audience clear.

The Idea of You has some insightful musings on the process of maturing in adulthood. Solène does eventually confirm her stage in life by choosing her daughter's happiness over her own. Hathaway also gives a moving monologue about the moment she realized her marriage was over. She's shown letting go of her anger and disappointment, and she's definitely the driver of this film. But Galitzine -- riding a wave, after Purple Hearts and Red, White & Royal Blue -- matches her. He transmits vulnerability as a self-doubting but talented artist, and his performances in the boy band concert sequences are right on the nose. In these and other scenes, the film plays with split screens, color filters, and slow motion, all of which -- combined with a varied soundtrack -- adds momentum to this entertaining, star-driven romance.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about their feelings about the relationship between Solène and Hayes in The Idea of You . Do you think the age difference is inappropriate? Do you think the characters make the right decisions? Why or why not?

What messages does this film contain about social media, and especially media attention, to the private lives of celebrities? How does this relate to your own life?

Does August Moon remind you of any real-life boy bands? Do you think the experiences Hayes describes might be based on real life?

Have you read the popular book this film is based on? What does the film do better, and vice versa? What's your favorite literary adaptation on film?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : May 2, 2024
• Cast : Anne Hathaway , Nicholas Galitzine
• Director : Michael Showalter
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Female writers
• Studio : Amazon Prime Video
• Genre : Romance
• Topics : Book Characters , Music and Sing-Along
• Run time : 115 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : some language and sexual content
• Last updated : April 29, 2024

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes review – future simians swing through cinematic jungle

This hopefully final prequel to the original movie reveals the story of the crazed ape leader Proximus Caesar – but it’s time the franchise evolved

A fter four ambitious and successful pictures, the reboot-prequel Planet of the Apes franchise now comes to what could well be the end, approaching the moment at which Charlton Heston and his crew crash landed, in 3978, in the original movie. It’s where, in 1968, we came in. Of course, if this one is a big hit, yet another prequel-episode could theoretically be squeezed in. But I hope not.

It’s not that this movie is running low on energy or panache – it isn’t – but the story is tangled and contrived and weirdly anticlimactic because that original film is starting to loom over everything like the Statue of Liberty’s shadow. All that happens has to match up with what we know is coming. There have to be “good” apes we can root for, but also “bad” apes to make sense of the original’s imminent ape tyranny. There have to be “good” humans for the “good” apes to have a relatable relationship with – but they have to exhibit “bad” or anti-ape tendencies to align with this fundamental ape/human antipathy. And there has to be a lot of stuff about observatories and radio telescopes that are still, miraculously, functional.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is not at all bad, though reliant on storylines and ideas taken from The Lion King. And it’s a reminder that the original film is incomparably better than any of them, a satire on power created by author Pierre Boulle who also wrote the source novel of The Bridge on the River Kwai about a comparable topsy-turvy ironic enslavement of white men.

Here, we start “many generations” after the rule of Caesar, the apes’ tough but enlightened ruler, created by accident by humans during an anti-dementia drug trial. Now the humans have regressed to a primitive state and apes have a cruel and crazed leader, Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), who presides over a chaotic coastal encampment set up near what appears to be an abandoned human vault, a sealed tomb which Proximus believes might contain the key to ultimate power … if only he could open it.

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But there is also a gentle and quietist ape colony, the Eagle Clan, who make a fetish of training eagles. Their leader is cruelly killed by Proximus and his troops using what appear to be rudimentary tasers. (Why the Eagle clan hasn’t invented bows and arrows is unclear.) This leader’s feisty young son Noa (Owen Teague) escapes into exile where in time-honoured fashion he is helped by a wise old guide, the ape Raka (Peter Macon). While on his mission to rescue his clan and family, Noa befriends a lone and attractive human, Mae (Freya Allan), who makes common cause with Noa but has secret objectives. They chance across Trevathan (William H Macy), a wise but cynical old guy who is the human equivalent of Raka.

It all leads to a confrontation with Proximus, who is a less interesting character than Caesar. The film becomes rather jumbled and preposterous by the very end, but not before some perfectly good action sequences, and the CGI ape faces are very good. This franchise has held up an awful lot better than others; now it should evolve to something new.

• Science fiction and fantasy films
• Planet of the Apes
• Action and adventure films
• William H. Macy

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In Theaters

The fall guy.

• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Drama

Content Caution

• May 3, 2024
• Ryan Gosling as Colt Seavers; Emily Blunt as Jody Moreno; Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Tom Ryder; Winston Duke as Dan Tucker; Hannah Waddingham as Gail Meyer; Teresa Palmer as Iggy Starr; Stephanie Hsu as Alma Milan

Home Release Date

• David Leitch

Distributor

• Universal Pictures

Movie Review

Colt Seavers used to fall for a living.

Sure, it wasn’t all falling. Sometimes he’d just dangle off a helicopter. Or throw himself against a rock. Or maybe light himself on fire.

All in a day’s work for a Hollywood stuntman.

Not that Colt complained about all the falls and jumps and flames. As the go-to body double for the Tom Ryder, one of the top action stars on the planet, work was fun. The pay was decent. And more often than not, he worked side-by-side with his camera-operating girlfriend, Jody Moreno.

But all that was before Colt had an uncomfortable reunion with gravity: A fall went wrong, and the accident broke his back, his spirit and his relationship. And while he physically recovered, Colt abandoned his career and Jody both. He works as a valet now: The closest he gets to stunt work is parallel parking.

Or it was—until Gail called.

That’d be Executive Producer Gail. Hollywood Mogul Gail. Tom Ryder’s Favorite Film Exec Gail. Seems that Tom’s working on another huge movie in Australia—something called Metalstorm . Gail wants Colt to get back in the game and be the film’s primary stuntman.

Oh, and did Gail mention that Jody—Colt’s still-beloved ex-girlfriend—is the film’s director ? And that she asked for Colt specifically?

That’s all Colt needs to hear. He hops on the first flight to Australia, arrives on set and discovers that Jody … said no such thing. In fact, she’d be quite happy if Colt took the first flight home.

Executive producers have never been known for their honesty.

But soon, Gail tells Colt why she really flew him all the way to Australia: Tom is missing. He hasn’t been seen for days. Gail knows that Tom and Colt have a long history: If anyone can find the movie star, sober him up and get him back on set, it’s Colt.

But finding Tom won’t be so easy.

For years, Colt used to fall for a living. But this time he’s working without a harness—and he just might be falling into more than he can handle.

Positive Elements

Stuntpeople take a lot of abuse. Literally. It’s their job. But Colt and his fellow stunt performers endure the bruises with stoicism and a smile—if they’re still relatively ambulatory—and a thumbs-up sign.

And throughout the film, we hear variations on one basic theme rooted in the important quality of resilience: It’s not so important whether you get knocked down, but whether you get up after . You deal with the bumps and bruises—on the job and in life—and move on. You smile. You flash a thumbs-up to show you’re good to go for the next one.

That’s an admirable attitude in context. But as Colt admits, sometimes you can’t keep moving forward. Sometimes, you need to heal and deal with your problems and even let people help you . And that, too, is an important reminder.

We should note that Colt clearly still cares deeply for Jody, and that manifests itself in a lot of extra work, risk and sacrifice. True, she may never want to see him again. But that doesn’t stop Colt from doing everything he can to make sure that Jody’s film is a success. If that means doing stunts for her film, so be it. If it means dragging her star back to the set, he’ll do that, too. And if helping Jody means getting embroiled in even more complications? Colt will go above and beyond.

He’s not alone. We see plenty of other people support each other when the need arises. And that’s nice to see.

Spiritual Elements

Colt presses his hands together in a sort of mock sign of respect to Tom. Someone wishes Colt “Godspeed.”

Sexual Content

Colt and Jody were engaged in a steady, presumably sexual romance back in the day. We see flashbacks to moments they shared involving kissing and cuddling. And when Colt and Jody meet again, Colt suggestively tells her that she looks good in “anything” and “nothing.”

Jody, for her part, isn’t prepared to move on romantically just yet. During one stunt sequence for the movie Metalstorm , Jody unpacks the movie’s love story—a thinly veiled retelling, it would seem, of their own star-crossed romance. She talks about the good times the Metalstorm’ s protagonists shared—but how the human “Space Cowboy” jilted his alien lover and broke her heart. She then tells Colt about the number of wild, tawdry flings the “alien” had in the aftermath, most of which involved some earth-shaking encounters. (We’re led to believe she’s referring to the quality of sex the alien had.)

During better times, Colt and Jody banter about finding a nice beach somewhere, where they can don “swim costumes” (the British phrase for bathing suits) and make “bad decisions.”

Several guys go shirtless (or wear open coats that showcase their abs), and women wear tight and cleavage-revealing outfits. There’s a joke involving a man having an affair with his wife’s sister. A video clip taken at a wild party involves some odd wrestling that seems to wink at a bit of homoeroticism. A corpse appears to be at least partially naked underneath a layer of ice (and nothing critical is seen).

Violent Content

Colt discovers a dead body in a hotel bathroom, covered in ice. Someone is tied up and beaten; we see plenty of blood on the victim’s face. Gasoline-fueled fires are lit—sometimes on people. In flashback, Colt makes his ill-fated jump that led to his near career-ending injury. We don’t see exactly what happens, but we do see the bloodied stuntman being wheeled down a hospital hallway. An explosion obliterates the boat and seems to kill the guy driving it. Suicide is mentioned several times.

People get into some pretty insane-looking melees involving fists, feet, headbutts and a variety of weapons. Guns are fired with alacrity. Blades whistle through the air and sometimes land with a thunk in walls. Props become effective melee weapons. People jump, fall or are thrown over pieces of furniture, causing a great deal of property damage in route. Colt battles a bevy of baddies with bottles—including thwacking someone in the face with a champagne cork fired from one.

People fall or are kicked out of moving cars to tumble on the pavement. Someone is knocked unconscious (but survives) during a car stunt. A well-trained stunt dog is ordered to bite several combatants in the crotch. (He does his job well.) Someone is kicked in the chest. A particular stunt apparatus is sabotaged, with the saboteur intentionally trying to inflict injury. A costumed man sneaks up on a woman and is immediately and ruthlessly attacked (including stabbing a pen into the man’s thigh). He’s hit, kicked, choked and thwacked with a number of impromptu weapons at the ready.

Meanwhile, on set, Colt is set on fire and yanked into a cliff face repeatedly—a measure of revenge that Jody exacts on him for their broken relationship. He’s also the centerpiece of a sprawling battle scene involving guns and swords and lots of explosions. (Without special effects, the scene looks rather tame and somewhat laughable.) a car tumbles in the sand several times before coming to a stop—upside down. (The stuntman inside is just fine.) Massive explosions detonate.

Crude or Profane Language

Two f-words and nearly 30 s-words. We also hear “a–,” “h—” and “d–n.” God’s name is misused at least 20 times (five of which include the word “d–n”), and Jesus’ name is misused five times. Several middle fingers are seen.

Drug and Alcohol Content

We’re told that Tom Ryder’s disappearance coincides with heavy drug use, and we see footage from a party where a lot of drugs were involved. (We hear several references to Tom’s drug use elsewhere, too.)

During the course of his investigation, Colt questions Tom’s drug dealer: The club where the meeting takes place is awash in alcohol. Colt refuses booze, but when he’s brought a supposedly non-alcoholic Shirley Temple, he quickly discovers the drink has been spiked with an unknown drug. Colt’s fighting abilities seem unimpaired, but it does cause plenty of hallucinations; he’s told that once he stops seeing unicorns, he’ll know the drug has finally worn off. (He sees unicorns for quite a while thereafter, and when he’s confronted by a police officer, he feels the man’s face to make sure he’s actually there.)

Jody, Gail and other members of the movie’s crew go to a bar to sing karaoke and drink. Some of them seem to get inebriated, and several down alcoholic shots. Colt and Jody have a running joke involving “spicy margaritas,” the drinking of which would lead to bad (read, in their minds, fun ) decisions. After fighting with a handful of villains, Colt and a stunt dog go to a bar: Colt orders himself a tropical cocktail and soaks his aching fist in the beverage, while the dog just laps from a glass of water.

Other Negative Elements

Several lies are told during the course of the movie, and we’re witness to an act or two of betrayal. A crew leader threatens to gut members of his crew like fish. Tom Ryder behaves just like you’d expect a spoiled, rich actor to behave.

On one hand, The Fall Guy —based (very) loosely on the 1980s TV show of the same name—offers moviegoers a dose of summer escapism. Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt are eminently likable as Colt and Jody. The film is filled with plenty of winks and nods: Jody asks Colt whether in-movie split-screen scenes are effective or a gimmick … while engaging in a split-screen scene. Sometimes we’ll hear a weird, echoey sound effect when Colt is diving or leaping or doing something —an homage to The Six Million Dollar Man . (Both Six Million and The Fall Guy TV show starred Lee Majors.) It’s light. It’s fun. It’s clever.

And it’s got problems.

As fun and frothy as the film feels, its nods to torture, suicide and murder belie the story’s lighthearted vibe. And while The Fall Guy is more romantic than sensual, lines and jokes are made that point to more intimate situations. As for the movie’s language—well, the harsh profanities push right up to an R-rating without actually stepping into it.

We mentioned that Colt and other stuntpeople are known for giving a thumbs-up sign after every stunt—unless, of course, their thumbs are actually broken. They might be bruised or bleeding or hurting like crazy, but they’re determined not to let anyone see even a hint of weakness—even if that weakness comes in the form of a separated shoulder. I’m fine , they’ll insist, even if that’s not quite so.

You could make the argument that The Fall Guy itself takes its lead from those admittedly brave, talented men and women who risk life and limb to entertain us. It, too, gives us the old “thumbs up.” It’s light! It’s fun! It’s absolutely fine for the whole family! It tells us. But that’s not quite so.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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