‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1’ is a well-made, somber sequel that ultimately feels like one-half of a film.
When Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and 2 came out in 2010 and 2011, respectively, it was something of a win-win situation for fans and the studio. By extending the 759-page book into two movies, it gave fans to opportunity to experience the full scale of the story, without having key scenes rushed or abbreviated, all while the studio essentially got to release one movie twice. Everyone got what they wanted.
But because Hollywood always tries to cash in on other success stories, every franchise and their brother are now extending their movies to two or three separate films. As expected, it has hurt more than it helped, making every finale feel too drawn out or bloated. The most egregious example was The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 and 2, but the Hobbit movies are another example that, while more successful, proves it would have just been fine as one film.
Ultimately, while not necessarily a bad film, the breaking of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay into two parts feels rather unnecessary. It especially makes this first part feel a little unsatisfying, even though it’s still a solid movie overall.
Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), having beaten the system of sorts in the last film, is expected to become the savior to the constantly imposing Capitol. Even though all she really cares about at the moment is the safety of those she loves, particularly Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), she complies with the revolutionary thinking of Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore).
Through them, she becomes a symbol of hope for all the Districts out there to know they can rebel against their imposing peers led by President Snow (Donald Sutherland). As she goes through the apocalyptic cities surrounding her, she tries to press for democracy and the people’s voices to be heard once again. But with each fleeting action, she finds herself putting her well being, and others, on the balance.
Much like the aforementioned Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Mockingjay: Part 1 is mostly crippled by the fact that it’s only one half of its story. By pushing the climax into the forthcoming film, it produces a fairly sluggish half-film, which plays as more of a teaser for things to come than a complete story. Bogged down with over-explanation and exposition, the film certainly has its moment, but comes across as a little more sluggish than it should outright be.
Still, the beats that click in this movie click quite well. Francis Lawrence—who directed the last film and returns to direct these final two films—continues displaying his strong understanding of action by producing action sequences with clear execution and a clean-but-grounded feel. While these moments feel too far and few between, especially compared to its predecessor films, they liven up the film without overblowing its believability or plausibility.
Also intact in this film is the movie’s acute inspection of social structure. The sequel, taking more of a Marxist line of thinking than its previous installments, has intelligent means of expressing its thinking without getting it in the way of the story. The most key example is its observations on our new media landscape, focusing primarily on how our constant access to cameras and stations allows us to communicate indirectly with our peers and upper-hands.
Additionally the performances, for the most part, are able to keep in line with the strong work from its other movies. While this film, oddly, has some of the worst extras acting I have seen in a while, the performances from the late Hoffman, Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks as Effie, Moore and Woody Harrelson as Haymitch are all appropriately reserved, but competently performed. Even Hutcherson, a weaker player in the first two movies, gives a solid performance this time around.
The one performance that, oddly, is the most lacking this time around, though, is from Jennifer Lawrence herself. Much like her post-Oscar performance in American Hustle, her work here isn’t bad, but it feels too overplayed to really sell. Compared to her more low-key and subtlety telling work in the past two films, this performance feels disappointingly too theatrical. It takes away from the heavy emotional playing set throughout the sequel.
Decidedly more somber in its approach, Mockingjay: Part 1 is something of a departure for the new installment in this series. But as just one part of the tale, it turns out as the weakest episode of the series so far. It’s made all the more disappointing by its abrupt ending. Still, this is a well-made, competently thoughtful film for the series, one that will likely be better after we get to see the second part.
