by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor
Welcome to the 76th Annual Hunger Ga….What? We aren’t doing one of those in this movie? We’re doing what instead? Revolution? Oh. Okay.
Welcome to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, the latest installment in the the saga of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence, X-Men: Days of Future Past). Taking place shortly after the events of Catching Fire, Mockingjay shows just how bleak and desperate the world of Panem has become. Having escaped from The 75th Hunger Games, Katniss learns that District 12 has been utterly destroyed by the forces of President Snow (Donald Sutherland, Dirty Sexy Money) as retaliation for her defiance. Now Katniss finds herself leading a revolution that she never asked to be a part of.
Now before I get too far into my review, I need to say that I have never read The Hunger Games novels. There might be changes from the page to the screen, but let’s focus on the story conveyed on-screen only.
The third iteration of The Hunger Games cinematic franchise takes a significantly darker turn as the survivors of District 12 (and the newly rediscovered District 13) prepare for all out war on the Capital of Panem. Katniss struggles to deal with the fact that Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, Red Dawn) was left behind in the arena so that Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Capote) and Haymitch (Woody Harrelson, Cheers) could save her life. The citizens of the Districts now see Katniss as a voice for the people, and President Coin (Julianne Moore, The Kids Are Alright) – the leader of District 13, decides to use her to spark the flames of revolution. Katniss must make some hard decisions regarding her own fate, as well as the fate of her family and friends. Can she become “The Mockingjay”?
In terms of visuals, the creative minds behind Mockingjay have crafted some very intense and dark imagery to convey the state of Panem. The destruction of District 12 is showcased in a very surreal manner, and using Katniss as the emotional anchor to the scenes helps to push the desperation of the rebellion to a new level. The Hunger Games franchise was always pretty dark (you had kids fighting each other to the death). With Mockingjay, the survival element is refocused onto the world outside of the games, and standing up against the corrupt regime in the Capital of Panem. The bright and colorful images from the first two movies have been replaced with stark backgrounds the muted color pallets. The clothing alone demonstrates the new world that the characters inhabit, and works perfectly to set the mood.
Overall
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is without question my favorite installment in the cinematic series. The movies have continued to evolve and adapt with each iteration, and this story definitely sets up higher stakes than ever before. While the movie is “Part 1” of the Mockingjay novel, it manages to not pull a Matrix: Reloaded and just stop arbitrarily in the middle of the story. Without spoiling anything, the ending of the film feels logical, and the writers did a fantastic job with both leaving you full-filled, and making you want to see what comes next. I honestly can’t wait to see Mockingjay – Part 2.
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