The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Variety

A year ago, in my review for Catching Fire, I told you not to get your hopes up too high for this movie. Well, this doesn't happen too often, but here it goes - I was wrong, and I admit it. As expected, the installment about political propaganda commercials in a cinematic franchise about kids killing each other is clearly less exciting in comparison to its previous installments, but working with the source material, Mockingjay - Part 1 represents a significant step up in quality compared to the book, and has me eager for what Part 2 will bring. But unfortunately, we have to wait a year for that. Thanks, Hollywood.

Following her escape from the Quarter Quell arena, Katniss Everdeen finds herself a pawn in the rebellion against the Capitol. Located beneath the bombed surface of District 13, the home base of the rebellion features several returning characters, like Katniss' (more-than-a?) friend Gale, a sobered-up (but still gleefully sarcastic) Haymitch Abernathy, determined ex-gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, a wig-less Effie, and resentful Capitol darling Finnick Odair. New characters include District 13 President Alma Coin (brought to life with a confident performance by Julianne Moore), Commander Boggs, and a camera crew led by a team of Capitol refugees joining the cause.

Noticeably absent are former Hunger Games winners Peeta Mellark and Johanna Mason, who were unable to be saved by the District 13 army during the fall of the arena, and along with Finnick's girlfriend Annie, were taken captive by the Capitol. After the revolution begins, and riots throughout all of Panem's districts start, the Capitol brainwashes Peeta into speaking to calm down the rebels. Katniss sees through the charade and demands Peeta's rescue in exchange for serving as the poster child of the rebellion.

In the absence of child-on-child violence, the film shifts focus on the rebellion's efforts to use Katniss to ignite a fire in the districts. After agreeing to be a living embodiment of the Mockingjay, Katniss, her camera crew, and bodyguards Boggs and Gale travel around Panem to film propaganda videos and unite the districts. This leads to a few actions scenes, involving land mines, suicide bombings, and exploding hovercrafts. Despite their infrequency, these scenes were almost perfectly timed and executed, and while not as enthralling as the arena, they sufficiently kept the film afloat by showing the more visually exciting moments of the rebellion.

Much is to be said about the pacing of the film. When you take away the excitement of the arena from the weakest entry of the Hunger Games series, then split that story in half to make two separate films, I wholeheartedly expected the film to be a comparative letdown. And while virtually no case can be made against the statement that both of Mockingjay's prequels are better movies, it's commendable that director Francis Lawrence and screenwriters Danny Strong and Peter Craig were able to balance action sequences with pivotal character moments and necessary storytelling so effectively. Not once could I say I was bored, although to be fair, I wasn't able to say I was as entertained as I was during either of the first two films.

One aspect that wasn't explored as much as I expected (or wanted) was the Peeta-Katiss-Gale love triangle. This will definitely be looked into more in the final entry, but while there were certainly sparks in the districts, there weren't that many between Katniss and Gale, which seriously had me doubting my #TeamGale stance. And another thing - I definitely could've gotten on with more screen time for Effie and Haymitch, who, thanks to portrayers Banks and Harrelson, are able to bring comic relief to an otherwise serious franchise so effortlessly.

Although the content of this movie varies from its predecessors, it has at least one thing in common with them - it was too short. As a result of its split into two parts, Mockingjay - Part 1 felt very much like an incomplete story. I firmly believe this split was non-essential, and while they were able to take their time, develop a respectable pace, and explore the characters thoroughly, I do think it could have been done just as well in one single, two-and-a-half hour movie. Maybe my opinion will be different after I see Part 2 (if you recall, I was wrong the last time I wrote a review of a Hunger Games film), but just a reminder, the last Lord of the Rings movie wasn't split into two parts, and it won Best Picture.

Rating: 3.5/5