THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 – The Review

Let’s get this out of the way: MOCKINGJAY PART 1 is in fact only half of a bigger picture. There’s nothing we can do about this, we just have to deal with it. But before people lump it into the same marketing gimmick as other recent film series that have split the last chapter into several pieces (I’m looking at you TWILIGHT, HARRY POTTER, and THE HOBBIT), the break that happens at the end of this recent entry into the HUNGER GAMES series doesn’t just feel justified, it’s actually completely necessary. In a way it ends in a manner that seems akin to EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. We know that our main hero is at a turning point and that a break is necessary for them to gather their thoughts before venturing into “the final battle.”

The journey of Katniss Everdeen is one that has been a rocky one for me. Although I enjoyed the first film even with its tired depiction of a dystopian future where the poor services the rich and even provides them entertainment at the cost of their own lives, the second film felt like more of the same ideas and visuals but book ended with a few scenes that took the story into new territory. MOCKINGJAY is completely that new territory the last film teased. Gone is the dog-eat-dog survival game and in its place is a rather ambitious story showing the fog of war. At times it reminded me of a young adult version of Paul Verhoeven’s STARSHIP TROOPERS in that we see the manipulation that the leaders of each side use to control their troops. MOCKINGJAY may not have the bitter irony that that 1997 anti-war film perfected, but it’s worthy of applause for the audacity to explore such issues as the life of a soldier, PTSD, the exploitation of the media, and how individuals are used as symbols for a cause. This is especially bold considering that the main audience who will be exposed to this film is made up of naive teenagers.

After being rescued from the previous Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) finds herself being held in a secret underground bunker in District 13 that houses the rebel faction that is fighting against the Capitol. Under the guidance of President Coin (Julianne Moore), Katniss is forced into a position to become the leader and symbol of the rebellion. She is the “mockingjay,” and it is through video transmissions of her actions that other districts are inspired to fight back against President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and his oppressive government.

One of the things I found most troubling with the film is the ambivalence you feel towards the Capitol and the rebel army. Of course you hate the Capitol and what they stand for, but you feel just as weary about suiting up for the resistance. We see how the leaders use Katniss as an instrument to achieve their goals. It’s their treatment of her as a pawn that made me uncomfortable throughout the film. Typically films of this nature you have one clear side you are rooting for. Such is not the case here. Katniss has now become the sole reason to watch the films and the only good person to root for. And even after this overly dramatic turn from Jennifer Lawrence, it’s barely enough to keep me fighting on.

Lawrence spends much of the film reacting in dramatic fashion to the events she’s seeing in front of her, listening to what is being told to her, or videos she’s watching on television. It becomes a series of reactionary events without much response on her part. When the film isn’t interested in her fever-pitched emotions then it delivers on what some of the young teens girls are pining for: the will they or won’t they relationship between Katniss and Gale. A few new faces are thrown in to spice up things, but are only there to elevate Katniss’ story. Considering how threatening Donald Sutherland has been in previous entries, I found him criminally underused considering we are now in the second to last chapter of this story. Thankfully though there is one long sequence later on in the film where Sutherland takes a hold of the screen and is given some room to spread his evil wings.

There are a few moments of tense action in PART 1 – one particular scene where Katniss leads a group of fighters through District 8 after visiting some survivors at a hospital is a great set-piece that recalls the war flash-backs from the first TERMINATOR film – but it looks like we will have to wait for PART 2 to really see Katniss kick some ass. MOCKINGJAY PART 1 is a solid entry that surprisingly can stand on its own without feeling like it’s cheating the audience. Even though this is probably my favorite film in the series because it gave me more meat to chew on than the previous films, I still think that this series is best served as a satisfying dish to fans of the book series.

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 opens everywhere November 21