The final chapter of “The Hunger Games” saga is now here. SIDEWALKS’ Lisa has her take on “Mockingjay – Part 1.”
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1
(Lionsgate Films)
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland.
Running Time: 123 minutes
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action. some disturbing images and thematic material
Studio Synopsis:
The worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games continues to set the world on fire with “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1,” which finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and a nation moved by her courage. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, from an adaptation by Suzanne Collins and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the third in a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins that has over 65 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.
Lisa’s Take:
Katniss Everdeen is back as the reluctant face of the revolution in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1,” the first of two parts, adapted from Suzanne Collin’s final novel in the Young Adult trilogy.
The film stays true to the book and revolves around Katniss’ role in the revolution, the political deviance of Panem’s evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and a rescue mission. Compared to the first two films (“The Hunger Games” and “Catching Fire,”) there is a lot less dialogue and action for our heroine Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). Much of her on screen time is dark and emotional – recovering from her own traumas, reacting to the Capitol’s bombing atrocities, weeping and worrying for Peeta – played by Josh Hutcherson – who is being held and tortured by the Capitol, and surviving a vicious attack by a loved one. In fact, I don’t think Miss Everdeen gets to crack a smile in this entire movie – except maybe when she’s out hunting with Gale (played by the stunningly handsome Liam Hemsworth).
Even if the dialogue is a little thin, Lawrence is still excellent, and so are the dynamics between her, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson – who adds a lot of spice and humor even if his screen time is minimal), and stylist Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) who, like Martha Stewart in prison, is making the best of her army-issue District 13 uniform.
Julianne Moore plays Alma Coin, president of District 13, with silver locks and a commanding disposition. If you have read “Mockingjay,” you may know that Part 2 should get a little more interesting, as President Coin’s motives may not be perfectly clear yet.
The final performance that was really touching in this film is Philip Seymour Hoffman. Not only because he is no longer with us, but also because as Plutarch Heavensbee, he is really the mastermind behind the Games and the revolution and walks the boundary between manipulation and honesty like nobody else. He is really good in this role.
The sets were extremely good – not too fancy and futuristic, but rather utilitarian and somber, with the same attention to costumes that were in the first two films. I loved the underground stairways of the clandestine and powerfully militarized District 13, and the way the entire population is trained to survive, subsisting on meager calorie-controlled portions and shared bunks. To add a little excitement, Beetee Latier (Jeffrey Wright), the nerdy genius who survived the previous Hunger Games, emerges like “Q” from the James Bond films, equipping Katniss with arrows powerful enough to take out an aircraft.
But shooting down an aircraft with Gale is the only time Katniss sees any real action, so we have to wait until “Mockingjay – Part 2” to see if she kicks butt again. All in all, “Part 1” was satisfying but not stellar. Now that we are heavily invested in the triumph of our heroine Katniss and the success of the revolution, we will have to patiently await the final film, coming in 2015.