The problem with the entire “Divergent” series is simple: every supporting character is more interesting than Tris (Shailene Woodley) and Four (Theo James). But that seems to be an ongoing problem across most young adult fiction, starting with “Twilight.”

Christina (Zöe Kravitz), Tris (Shailene Woodley), Four (Theo James), Caleb (Ansel Elgort), Tori (Maggie Q) and Peter (Miles Teller) star in “Allegiant,” the latest film the “Divergent series. (photo by Murray Close, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment)

After characters fall in love, every bit of tension and drama changes. Sexually charged moments mutate into tedious brooding. Once Tris and Four ran for their lives together and that was handled poorly enough – now they must determine if hope exists outside Chicago.

It should be a story of discovery, but everything, down to the arguments between our tattooed divergent lovers, is so formulaic. Not a good sign for a film that should be shrouded in mystery. After all, Chicago has been freed from a corrupt five-class system, and now everyone should be able to find new hope beyond the wall.

Let’s ignore all that though and get back to the brooding. Isn’t that what high school is about, according to oh-so-many teen dramas? Friends are bit players, disposable in the presence of what parades as true love. That’s all part of becoming adults, but a film like “Allegiant” isolates kids, vilifies adults and forces under-developed minds to change the world. Apparently nobody over 30 has a clue how to do anything right.

This is all fine if the film does it well. Disney cartoons bathe in the blood of protagonists’ parents so we can enjoy a coming-of-age story. But the third “Divergent” film is amateurish, so any forgiveness offered to other equally narcissistic films that bloat the importance of teens and 20-somethings is denied here. And based on the opening weekend’s performance, we all prefer re-watching “Zootopia” over diving back into mediocrity.

If you’re bored on a Saturday afternoon this is a fine film to watch. What’s TBS for otherwise? But there are so many better choices out there. A shame too considering what those Summit Entertainment folks can do with a budget half the size of a summer blockbuster.

Everyone seems to be better than this. Zoë Kravitz, as Christina, a soldier who travels past Chicago’s wall alongside Tris and others to see who’s out there, is a better lead than Tris. Octavia Spencer, as Johanna, who stays behind in Chicago to fight Evelyn’s (Naomi Watts) vicious control of the city in the wake of the old regime, is an Oscar winner, so why she’s here is vexing. And Jeff Daniels, as David, the leader of a research facility who knows everything that has happened, just got his career back on track with HBO’s “The Newsroom.” Yet here he is phoning in his friend-or-foe character. Actors all gotta eat right?

Four (Theo James) and Tris (Shailene Woodley) are the central characters in “Allegiant.” (photo by Dan McFadden, courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment)

What about Tris’ estranged brother Caleb (Ansel Elgort, who recently played Woodley’s love interest in “The Fault in Our Stars” … let that sink in), who bought into the old faction system before it all fell apart? Will Tris ever trust him again after his monumental betrayal? Does it matter as long as Four and Tris stay together?

And then there’s Miles Teller, as Peter, the sometimes good, mostly bad guy. He is easily one of the best actors here, but one-dimensional writing can’t save a character. We get it; he’s annoying and should not be trusted. Haven’t seen that one before.

It’s easy to see that some new characters, like Matthew (Bill Skarsgård) and Nita (Nadia Hilker) from the facility where Tris and her Scooby gang end up, likely had bigger roles in print. That’s especially true for Uriah (Keiynan Lonsdale, Wally West from The CW’s “The Flash”) who receives a film credit but never utters a line of dialogue. He just broods. It’s OK, he’s in good company doing that.

It’s not uncommon for a film series to ruin once promising material, but it’s starting to feel like Veronica Roth’s “Divergent” book series might be as forgettable as these films. From clichéd deaths to the predictable learn-how-to-fly-a-craft-in-the-midst-of-the-escape scene, “Allegiant” would be laughable it weren’t trying so hard. But hey, brooding faces don’t want you to look too hard. They just want you to be emo.