Crossing the Boundaries of Reality and Simulation: An Analysis of the Film Divergent

Abstract

Innovative technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality, and hyper-reality are reshaping how we perceive and interact with spaces. This research explores how new immersive technologies blur boundaries between reality and simulation, creating hyper-real environments that challenge traditional understandings of physical space. Using Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation Theory, the study examines how these technologies influence spatial experiences. To ground these ideas, the dystopian film Divergent (2014) is analyzed, focusing on the real and hyper-real spaces of the Dauntless and Abnegation factions through Montgomery's Sense of Place Model. This study highlights how AI and hyper-reality reshape spatial narratives, enhancing our connections with environments and redefining identity and experience in both physical and simulated realms.