“Mockingjay Part 1,” the most recent “Hunger Games” film, is a dark crowd–pleaser that sets the stage for the fourth and final installment of the widely popular teen dystopian fiction series. More somber than its predecessors, the movie is about protagonist Katniss Everdeen’s forays into political propaganda aimed at stirring up rebellion against the tyrannical Capital. The themes of media as a form of manipulation, mass murder of innocents, oppressive dictatorships and torture of political prisoners demonstrate director Francis Lawrence’s commitment to author Suzanne Collin’s grim subject matter.
Going into the movie, I was worried that director Francis Lawrence would downplay some of the more macabre events in the book’s storyline. My worries were unfounded. From the makeshift hospital in District 8 to the ruins and human remains in District 12, the movie is full of harrowing visuals. These scenes depicting war atrocities even extend to an air raid on an underground bomb shelter and several scenes of revolts with immense casualties.
The acting in “Mockingjay Part 1” is exceptional. Unlike her sedated performances in the previous films, Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss was much more emotionally evocative this time around. Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s penultimate appearance on the big screen as Plutarch is remarkable, but I was unsatisfied with the fact that many major characters from the other movies, such as President Snow (Donald Sutherland), Effie (Elizabeth Banks), Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Finnick (Sam Claflin), play relatively minor roles in this film. This is due in large part to the constrictions imposed by the book, but I can’t help but think the film could have greatly benefitted by giving them more screen time.
The plot is slow but not boring. I suspect many fans will be disappointed that the movie doesn’t have as much action as the first two installments, but Francis Lawrence does a good job dressing up the minor scuffles that do happen. The film’s dialogue is uninspired, but the book’s isn’t any better.
The movie’s backdrop is superb, easily on par with its impressive predecessors. The ruins were especially well done and make the movie look as if it was filmed in war-torn Gaza. The District 13 base also feels surprisingly realistic. Unfortunately, one of my favorite parts of the past two films, the flamboyant fashion of the Capital, isn’t as present. All of the imaginative outfits were relegated to Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and Caesar (Stanley Tucci). The reinventions of the tie that Peeta wore were particularly interesting, though.
“Mockingjay Part 1” is not an action-packed thriller like the rest of the series. It’s more of a melancholy contemplation on manipulation, the horrors of war and the morality of inciting revolts. Although this less sensationalist focus should give the movie more weight, there is no commitment to developing these themes. What’s more, the film has the regrettable tendency of reiterating rather straightforward occurrences in a way that feels condescending. Despite this, the movie is entertaining and ends on a dark cliffhanger that will make audiences hungry for Mockingjay Part 2 next November.
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