Movie Review: "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" (Francis Lawrence, 2014)

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE TELEVISED by Mo Shaunette

Above: Jennifer Lawrence stars in the penultimate "Hunger Games" film

 

To me, the “Hunger Games” film series has had a weird trajectory in relation to its source material (Suzanne Collins’ trilogy of dystopian novels).  The initial novel was the best of the three, a tight-paced action story with strong characterization and emotional focus from its narrator and protagonist, Katniss Everdeen.  Yet its movie adaptation suffered from cheap-looking production design, awkward pacing, and an insistence on using shaky-cam that made it into an action movie full of incomprehensible action.  By contrast, the second book, “Catching Fire,” fell short of the mark…while its movie adaptation turned out to be an improvement on its cinematic predecessor, a well-directed sequel that’s probably my favorite of the features so far.

So how does “Mockingjay Part 1” fare?  Well, let’s find out.

With her home destroyed, her friends captured, and her fake-boyfriend-turned-maybe-real-boyfriend Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) being used as a pro-government mouthpiece, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) agrees to be the voice of a national rebellion, as the titular Mockingjay.  However, for every statement and strike the rebels make, the malicious forces of the Capitol hit back harder, and it’s only a matter of time before the prisoners of war outlive their usefulness in this rising civil war.

The biggest flaw of “Mockingjay Part 1” is that addendum in the title, which betrays the truth—that the film adapts only half of the series’ final book.  For the most part, everything that happened in the first section of the book happens in the movie (plus a few new scenes which I’ll get to), but there isn’t enough meat in the story to make the film entirely work; it feels too stretched-out, too thin, and too slow-moving.

Problematically, the film also undermines the credibility of the rebellion. Without an overarching plan in place, its members seem to be making it up as they go along.  Their core idea (“use Katniss as propaganda figurehead”) is interesting, but they still seem entirely reactionary to the Capitol’s attacks.

Not that Capitol comes out looking great either; their forces include neither credible nor interesting villains.  Big bad President Snow (Donald Sutherland) seems like he’s more interested in screwing with Katniss’s head than actually squashing the rebellion (which he deals with through guns, bombs, and Peeta’s ongoing interviews).  More than that, Mr. Sutherland seems entirely bored with the character, who lounges in his upscale mansion and gives kill orders with the same enthusiasm one might use to order take-out.

The rest of the cast, thankfully, is game for anything.  Jennifer Lawrence still owns the role of Katniss and keeps pace with her more experienced co-stars like it’s nothing; Woody Harrelson and the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman bring charm and levity in their supporting roles; Elizabeth Banks manages to make her character’s vamping performance work without the over-the-top hair and make-up; and Mahershala Ali gives much-needed gravitas to Boggs, the chief of security at the rebel home base.

Still, in this vast ensemble, it’s Katniss who really matters.  The “Hunger Games” books were all written from her perspective and were focused on her emotional journey, with the series’ nightmarish world seen through her eyes.  But since movies never had a chance of pulling that off as well as books, they have opted to have Katniss share the spotlight with world building and the exploration of Panem, the bleak nation where the entire series unfolds.  The downside to this is clear: Panem isn’t that interesting of a world.  This destitute future just looks like someone left the 20th Century out in the rain, with nothing besides forests and ruined buildings to see.

Still, “Mockingjay Part 1” offers a mostly lively story.  Long story beats of Katniss and friends waiting in their bunker for the next thing to happen are broken up by acts of rebellion in other districts, which are well-directed and energetic enough to inject life back into the flick.  These scenes are particularly effective in a third act climax when a previously unseen rescue mission is intercut with Katniss’s fellow rebel Finnick (Sam Clafin) spilling all the dirty secrets he learned during his time in the Capitol.

The good parts of “Mockingjay Part 1” really are quite good.  But they’re spaced between long stretches of not much happening, while ideas and themes that have already sunk in by this point in the story play out yet again.  If you’re a fan of the series thus far, I’d say you’re in for some good times.  Otherwise, you’re probably better off waiting for the home video release.