Sandy Kenyon reviews 'Allegiant,' latest film in 'Divergent' series

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Actress Shailene Woodley is back on the big screen as Tris in the latest installment in the futuristic action-packed "Divergent" series.

This one is called "Allegiant," but the question for the fans of the series is if will it live up to their expectations.

Critics have been almost unanimous in their dislike of the third movie in the "Divergent" series, complaining "Allegiant" doesn't make any sense. But Woodley is enjoyable to watch in just about anything, so it's okay to be a bit more forgiving.

It is tough to explain what happens if you haven't read the novels for young adults that inspired this series, but fans won't need a primer.

In the future as imagined here, society is confined to Chicago and divided into factions according to personality. Woodley's character is "divergent," meaning she doesn't fit into any one category.

This time, the action isn't limited to the one city but rather concerns life beyond the wall.

Woodley and company find a world presided over by Jeff Daniels, and from there, it's a lot more difficult to figure out what's going on. And critics do not appreciate being kept in the dark, which is perhaps why reviews for "Allegiant" have been so vicious.

There are enough visual treats that there's no need to totally slam the film, but the third time is definitely not the charm when it comes to the series. And with so much happening outside of Chicago, faction leaders Naomi Watts and Octavia Spencer are almost entirely wasted.

Great actors use bad movies to make good money, which allows them to support themselves when they want to accept lower wages for better projects. That's fine for them, but it doesn't mean you should spend your hard-

earned money at the box office.