Mockingjay Part 1 is the film that is starting to wrap up loose ends. If you haven't seen any of the other films, then you will most likely not understand what is going on in this one. The first two films are now readily available on Netflix if you are needing to get in the game. Pun intended. I was slightly skeptical as to why the last book was being split into two films, but after seeing it, I completely understand. I do not consider Mockingjay an action film, but a drama buzzing with sci-fi. Here is what to expect.
*SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE FIRST TWO FILMS, DO NOT CONTINUE UNLESS YOU HAVE NO DESIRE TO SEE THEM, AND, FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, YOU WANT TO READ THIS REVIEW. I DON'T JUDGE.*
Mockingjay Part 1 is an intriguing flick, but it struggles to find its independence from its predecessors. The Hunger Games presents us with Katniss Everdeen, a teen struggling to protect her mom and sister in a community that is barely alive. After she and Peeta win the Hunger Games, a small spark of rebellion has started to appear in the other districts. In Catching Fire, she is thrust into the political world, trying to comprehend how she can be a public figure. Unhinged from the terrors of the first games, the President throws a broken girl into a second round of games. As turmoil heats up in the districts, she is rescued during the games, but her beloved, on-screen boyfriend is left.
This new film is dark. Hunger Games and Catching Fire are all about the games; the audience is rooting for a winner. Mockingjay not only shocks the characters into reality, but the audience as well. The lives of countless others now count on the direction that Katniss takes. Just like fighting for freedom in the Hunger Games, she now has an army at her disposal. However, she must prove that the war she sparked is worth fighting for.
The dark undertones carry throughout the film, from beginning to end. It opens with Katniss in a hospital, tinted with dark yellows. She hears someone crying and gets out of bed to find Finnick sobbing on his bed, wishing that everyone were dead. Shortly after, several people are shown getting executed at gunpoint in the districts. Later in the movie, Katniss is asked to sing for the Mockingjays. The Hanging Tree is haunting. She sings while the audience sees a group of rebels attempting to bomb a dam at the Capital. Yes, like everyone else, I was dreading that this was about to turn into a corny musical number, but it doesn't. It's probably one of my favorite scenes in the movie.
Under the advisory of the rebel leader, President Coin, Katniss must learn to accept that she may never see Peeta again, and if the battle is worth fighting for. Can she stir the rebellion and get them to wage war? Or will she fail, leaving the other districts at the mercy of the Capital?
The movie lacks action. I felt a little empty after leaving. While the story was required in order to set up for the final film, it didn't seem to stand out. I did enjoy the drama and hope that the last film follows in its steps, yet giving it the action that it deserves. The running time is around two hours, but it goes by fast. If you have a free night and nothing on your plate to see, this one won't disappoint.
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