Mockingjay Part 1 Captures Emotion and Character Depth

To all of you Hunger Games bigots … piss off this is Jennifer Lawrence’s show and she’s marvelous. 

Yes, there is less action in this Hunger Games but NEWS FLASH PEOPLE: Action does not make a movie! Now that we have come to that realization we can move on and see what this new adaption to the series offers. In this film, director Francis Lawrence (no relation) (I Am Legend and Catching Fire) explores emotion and character development. And by gosh it’s a knockout for this stellar cast consisting of Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Sam Claflin, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland. Wherever film lacks in action, instead is replaced with strong performances by these actors who continue to add their depth overall. 

Mockingjay Part 1 leaves off exactly where we last saw Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) in Catching Fire. To catch you up from the previous film: Katniss destroyed the domes forcefield with her electrifying arrow and now has caused a rebellion to breakout in all of Panem. President Snow (Sutherland) obliterated her hometown of District 12 and has captured her BFF lover boy Peeta (Hutcherson). Plutarch (Hoffman) rescues Katniss and she finds out that District 13 does actually exists. This is where the film differs from the previous two because there are not more Games. Here we see the beginning of the rebellion forming to take down the Capitol. From the opening scene to the last this film has a darker undertone hidden beneath it. Most of the film takes place underground in District 13 and Cinematographer Jo Willems’ yellow tint helps give us a sense of loneliness and isolation. Rebel leader Coin (Moore) doesn’t think Katniss has what it takes to become a living Mockingjay, the bird that symbolizes the revolution. 

But Plutarch has faith in her along with a sober Haymitch (Harrelson) and an intelligent Beetee (Wright). Katniss fails at reading the script for propaganda so it’s off to the war zone where videographer specialist, Cressida (Natalie Dormer, from Game of Thrones), films her every move to help give the rebels hope. Lawrence has already shown her skills in the previous two films. Here she continues too build upon them and strips away every part of her humanity. From the explosive arrows that take down planes to the infuriating speech of  “If we burn, you burn with us!” Lawrence does it all. And Hemsworth finally breaks out of his role. We have seen him grow and mature through these last couple of years and this by far is his best performance of the three. 

For all those who still really want Gale be with Katniss … keep dreaming! I’ve read the books. There are also plenty of other juice performances here by a vulnerable Peeta, a delightful Effie (Banks, cheers to her), an emotionally unstable Finnick (Claflin), a wicked Snow and a final performance from the master himself, Hoffman. Seeing him in one of his final performances on the screen is one of the mere joys this film has to offer. Yes, Mockingjay Part 1 probably could have been in one film, but that’s Hollywood for ya! They want the money. So see you next fall and “May the odds ever be in your favor.”