The first two films in the series were dreadful, to be honest. For some incomprehensible reason I decided to soldier on and watch instalment 3A. (Yes, there’s a 3B.) I should have waved a white flag after Insurgent and admitted defeat. Allegiant is a tedious, more befuddling, and even more sexist version of Divergent and Insurgent.

The plot has not evolved, or even changed one bit for that matter. Four and Friends (because let’s face it, Tris is a nothing character in the trilogy) are lab rats running around a science experiment and getting up to incredulously stupid shit. Apart from an interesting genetic angle, Allegiant does not reveal more, or resolve any nagging questions one might have. One closed society is simply replaced by another, the dystopian environment makes way for a more sci-fi-tinged world, and in the “baddie” category a bland Kate Winslet is replaced by a bland Jeff Daniels. How does one make the usually impressive pair come across as plain yoghurt?

Tris is an arms-crossed, droopy-mouthed teenager. Four does his chest-thumping He-Man thing (but looks hot while doing it, granted). Miles Teller (Peter) is the predictable windbag. The other characters hardly do anything but die to move the plot along.

It takes a lot for a film to offend me, especially if the film is meant to be no more than light entertainment. So far, Deadpool, probably one of the most offensive films ever made, is my cinematic highlight of 2016. (And Zombieland was my 2009 highlight. I will never forget the line, “Cardio motherf…”, or the scene with Woody Harrelson and the banjo … Watch it or watch it again.)

I was quite surprised, then, to be so offended by the sexism in Allegiant that I had to write about it. Here goes. Tris is the damsel in distress that is easily duped by all around her. Four is always the voice of reason. She trusts everyone. Four trusts no one. She follows. Four leads.

There is one particular scene that embodies this dynamic. Four runs into the room to save the day. He orders Tris to leave with him immediately. She meekly says no. Four then places his hand on Tris’s shoulder and neck in a mildly aggressive manner. Is that what we need to teach girls (and boys) in 2016? That if you don’t listen to your man, he can put his hand on your shoulder and neck and “sort you out”? A resounding no.

As a film, Allegiant is appalling, and as an example to hold up to young adults, it fares even worse.

https://youtu.be/-n-neFRQ_7U