Last year, Catching Fire ended abruptly with one of the biggest cliffhangers I'd seen in a film. Or at least it felt like it, due to the multiple colossal reveals within the closing moments of the movie. Between that movie and the release of Mockingjay - Part 1, I decided to read the Hunger Games books, which put me in a fairly unique position personally, as I rarely go to see a movie knowing with considerable certainty how exactly it will play out. Now, I won't compare this film endlessly with the book counterpart, as they're both from completely different mediums. However, not only was it very faithful to the source material, but Mockingjay - Part 1 made me enjoy its story of political warfare even more than I previously had.
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| Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) |
To divulge the story of the film will involve ruining aspects from the previous movies, so unfortunately I'm going to have to do just that. The film begins with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) living in the supposedly destroyed District 13, along with many other survivors who managed to escape the bombings of their home, District 12. Life in the District is certainly not as free as it was in District 12, but 13 comes with a strong sense of security due to it being located in underground bunkers as opposed to vulnerable houses. This security is needed, as following Katniss' actions at the end of Catching Fire in which she destroyed the arena of the 75th Hunger Games, Katniss has now become the face of a brutal uprising directed at the totalitarian Capitol. President Coin (Julianne Moore) who presides over District 13 wants to use 'The Girl on Fire' as a symbol of rebellion in the form of propaganda videos, and Katniss only agrees to this if Coin promises to rescue her ally Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) at the earliest opportunity.
Many assumed that due to the fact this is merely one part in the Mockingjay story, the plot would not really develop enough and would in fact act as nothing more than an introduction to the finale of Part 2 next year. This is not the case. Although the absence of the Games themselves in this instalment means the movie lacks the action scenes found in the other movies, Mockingjay - Part 1 is still hugely engaging on account of the focus being more subterfuge than violence. It's definitely a very different movie to its predecessors, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, the main aspect carried over from the other instalments - that being the Katniss / Peeta / Gale love-triangle - turns out to be the least interesting part of the movie. Scenes included such as when Gale and Katniss are sitting by a lake getting cosy with one another feel redundant in the grand scheme of things, but thankfully these moments are few and far between.
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| Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) |
In terms of acting, it feels as if things have taken a huge step-up since Catching Fire. Not to say the entirety of that movie was atrocious, but certain moments felt awkward due to the delivery of some laughable dialogue. Now however, Jennifer Lawrence has fully made the character of Katniss Everdeen her own, and it really shows. I honestly couldn't picture another actress playing the role. Even new members of the supporting cast are enthralling, such as the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in the role of rebellion leader Plutarch Heavensbee. Plutarch was included in Catching Fire, but Mockingjay is where we really get a feel for his character, and P.S.H portrays him excellently.
Verdict
This instalment in The Hunger Games series certainly shows its 'Part 1' clichés, such as yet another huge cliffhanger to lead into the finale, but it's still a solid movie in its own right. Newcomers to the series are unlikely to fully grasp the complex story, but I doubt that was ever intended. This is a film which is for fans of the series as a whole, and in that, it completely succeeds. Yes, the fact it is primarily a propaganda war between the rebels and Capitol means it has a very different feel to it when compared with the other movies, but its this feel which makes Mockingjay - Part 1 stand out. I can't decide if I prefer this movie or its predecessor, but it's easily a film which I'd recommend for fans of the series.
"I have a message for President Snow: If we burn,
you burn with us!"
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