The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One (2014) - Film review by www.screenfantastique.com

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One is a compelling and sometimes thought-provoking film with director Francis Lawrence delivering the strongest entry into the series to date. Mockingjay Part One moves away from the ‘game’ format of the first two films in the franchise, allowing a broader story that confronts much larger themes such as genocide, media manipulation and corrupt political systems. It’s unexpected, but not unwelcome, as the story doesn’t linger for too long on any one point. The focal point remains Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant heroine whose motivating desire is to protect her family and loved ones at her own expense.

For viewers not familiar with the previous two films, the main character – Lawrence’s Katniss – volunteered to save her sister from competing in The Hunger Games, a death-match that pits young adults from their country’s twelve provinces against one another. Victorious in her efforts, Katniss is then drafted into a champion-of-champions version of the Games in the second film. The conclusion of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire sees Katniss fire the first demonstrative shot in the rebellion against Donald Sutherland’s sadistic President Snow. Mocking Jay: Part One opens with Katniss in a bad state, psychologically broken by the belief that she’s lost her beloved Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) at the end of the second film, having been taken in by the rebels of District 13. Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), who has also defected to the rebels, tries to convince Katniss to help District 13’s President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) in her efforts to overthrow the Capitol. Katniss is reluctant at first but, upon seeing first-hand the destruction of her District 12 hometown and President Snow’s genocide, she agrees to embrace her symbolic status of revolution: the Mockingjay.

Mockingjay Part One has the unenviable task of framing the action that will unfold in the final film in late 2015. Fortunately, the film’s production team don’t over-reach, covering about two-fifths of Suzanne Collins’ novel in this segment. Unlike the previous two Hunger Games movies, Mockingjay Part One de-emphasises Katniss as events spiral beyond everyone’s control. Donald Sutherland’s President Snow has become pathologically determined to destroy everything Katniss stands for and wages war with no regard to casualties regardless of their innocence. Mere association with the Mockingjay symbol results in deadly retribution and, at one point, Snow orders the bombing of a hospital in one for the Districts that is full of injured women and children. This only serves to strengthen the resolve of the District 13 rebels and Katniss.

Supporting characters are given more to do this time around, as Katniss, at times, is protected for the sake of preserving the ever-increasing symbolism she represents to the rebellion. Liam Hemsworth as the always-pining Cale has some great scenes with Lawrence as the story dances around their sometimes-romantic interest with each other. The casting of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Hemsworth as Cale still stretches credibility as the believability in terms of the affection Katniss has for both. It’s hard to ignore Hemsworth’s looks and presence as Cale, while Hutcherson’s Peeta is short, a bit whiny and comes across as a bit pathetic. In this case, love is truly blind.

Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Jeffrey Wright and Phillip Seymour Hoffman all return in expanded roles as they take up the fight against the Capitol. Sadly, this will be the second last film audiences get to see Phillip Seymour Hoffman in and the producers dedicate Mockingjay Part One to the actor. Francis Lawrence has been faithful to Hoffman’s memory and has not used any digital trickery to cover scenes that had yet-to-be filmed when the actor died in early 2014. Stanley Tucci also returns as Caesar Flickerman, but is only seen as part of televised propaganda broadcasts designed to discredit Katniss and the District 13 rebels. Donald Sutherland delivers the film’s best supporting performance and, even at 79 years of age, portrays Snow as a quietly spoken monster prepared to use any means at his disposal to maintain order in Panem. Julianne Moore brings a different dimension as rebel President Alma Coin, who is just as quietly spoken as Snow and becomes determined to use Katniss in her efforts to bring down the Capitol.

The credit for the success of Mockingjay Part One must go to the collaboration between Suzanne Collins, screenplay writers Danny Strong & Peter Craig, as well as Francis Lawrence. Collins worked with the film’s writers to adapt the most important elements from the first part of her novel and has maintained the integrity of her novel. The point at which Part One finishes is well chosen, as it’s not a stop-dead cliff-hanger but leaves several important plot points hanging and a desire in the viewer for Part Two to get released as quickly as possible.

As should be expected from a film with a $150 million plus production budget, the technical execution of Mockingjay Part One is first-rate. Catching Fire cinematographer Jo Willems returns for follow-up duties and, as Mockingjay Part One & Part Two were filmed back-to-back, will also be back on board for the final installment of the franchise. Willems’ lighting and camera work captures the changing mood of the story, as scenes are generally darker and colours more muted than the first two films. Alan Edward Bell also returns as Editor and is joined by Mark Yoshikawa, both of whom are also working concurrently on Part Two. Other key carry-over personnel include Production Designer Philip Messina, Set Decorator Larry Diaz and the very talented composer James Newton Howard delivering another strong musical score.

TheHunger Games: Mockingjay Part One does a great job of creating a stand-alone film that entertains and never feels as if it’s a slave to what will come in its follow-up installment. This is no mean feat and a credit to the film’s producers. Fans of the series should feel extremely satisfied, while non-fans can sit and enjoy a well-crafted movie that provides another vehicle for Jennifer Lawrence to, once again, showcase her tremendous talent. It’s going to be a long twelve months waiting for the finale!