The Hunger Games is the third major YA franchise to split its final movie into two parts. Although audiences are feeling split-fatigue thanks to just-decent outings from Harry Potter and Twilight, Mockingjay, Part 1 proves that a compelling first half is possible.
What makes this first half so good is that the extra time was used to really benefit the moviegoers who’ve read the book. Like with the first two movies in The Hunger Games series, Mockingjay takes the action off Katniss from time to time to show what problems the Girl on Fire has caused around Panem.
This is more than half of an okay book. This is a big upgrade.
Spoiler warning! This review presents details that are revealed in the book by Suzanne Collins. We do not spoil big new moments in the movie.
Mockingjay, Part 1 finds Katniss dealing with the repercussions of District 13’s plan to break the Quarter Quell and bring down the Capitol. Pushed into the situation against her will, Katniss struggles with becoming the face of the rebellion while wanting to protect Peeta, who’s potentially one wrong move away from being killed by President Snow.
Director Francis Lawrence and screenwriters Peter Craig and Danny Strong found a way to stretch out the first half of the story without making the film feel like it’s running any slower than Katniss would during Hunger Games training. Mockingjay, Part 1 improves the boring parts of book by opening up the world.
Lawrence (the director – not the actress) achieves this by bringing the Districts and the Capitol to the front of the storytelling. President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland, pops up more times than he does in the book thanks to the benefit of not having to tell the story solely from Katniss’ perspective. For example, there’s a great scene where we see Snow learn of Katniss’ presence in District 8, and his horrific decision to bomb the hospital for associating themselves with the Mockingjay.
Of course, very few districts are obeying Snow. In other new scenes we see how the Districts are pushing back against Peacekeepers and the Capitol. These new moments bring the plot from internal (Katniss’ own experiences as expressed in internal thoughts and private conversations) to external (how her actions are impacting others in society), meaning that some scenes where Katniss has a conversation with people like Finnick, Haymitch, and Prim have been adjusted.
These elements add an extra level of excitement, but Lawrence didn’t stop there.
Hoping for some fun during these sad times? As promotional videos reveal, Effie has a big presence in the movie. In the book she only shows up at the end after being released from prison, but in the movie there’s no such occurrence.
When we first meet Effie in Mockingjay, Part 1 she’s treating herself like a prisoner of District 13 because she’s disappointed in the group’s fashion rules. After Plutarch asks her to help convert Katniss into the Mockingjay, viewers will find Effie completely replacing the chosen one’s stylist team who appeared in the book.
This was a smart decision. Everyone loves Effie! The character manages to bring lots of figurative color into District 13 and would’ve been dearly missed otherwise.
Hoping for an on-the-edge-of-your-seat ending? Mockingjay once again delivers by following Peeta’s rescue team as they penetrate the Capitol. Even though we knew the outcome of this scene, we found ourselves worried for the safety of Gale and company the entire time because we’re following them closely. It was like an episode of Homeland. This scene is mixed in with Finnick’s revelations about Snow running a prostitution ring which add to the intensity.
While we won’t spoil where Mockingjay, Part 1 ends, we will say that the film has a small surprise at the end to emphasize the scene it follows. This new scene was mixed with an important speech by President Coin, who effectively sets up the second half of the film for District 13’s residents as well as moviegoers.
There are plenty of new roles in Mockingjay, Part 1, and the two biggest are played by actresses: Julianne Moore is, as expected, perfect as the leader of District 13 and plays a slightly kinder version of Coin than the one we see in the book. Meanwhile, Natalie Dormer is sublime as Katniss’ camera crew director, Cressida. Both fit snugly into the film’s already impressive roster of stars.
The returning actors are as great as you remember from the first two films. Lawrence, the director, is able to keep the camera trained on Lawrence, the actress, thanks to her compelling skills as a performer as she brings Katniss’ emotional state to life. Meanwhile, supporting stars like Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci bring what you’d expect to their signature roles.
For the first time we realized that Caesar Flickerman, the Capitol’s television personality played by Tucci, is the Oprah of Panem. In his series of sit-down interviews with Peeta during Mockingjay, Part 1, Caesar treats Peeta like Oprah would Lindsay Lohan – both interviewers play up their egos because they are in complete control of their subjects.
Speaking of Peeta, the character played by Josh Hutcherson obviously has less screen time than in the previous two films due to his Capitol imprisonment. What he lacks in screen time he makes up for in performance – Hutcherson convinces moviegoers of the Capitol’s control over him and has a new scene at the end where he really goes all out.
Like any book to film adaptation, there are some changes which we’ll discuss in a separate article on Friday. But truly, the things that are removed are outweighed by the numerous smart additions.
After the credits…
We don’t mind “spoiling” this because it’s not a scene: Stay after the Mockingjay credits to get your first look at the Mockingjay, Part 2 logo. The new logo depicts the mockingjay breaking free of the ring that has encircled it since the first film. It’s finally free. Exciting, right? It was thrilling for one of two Hypable writers at this screening.
Mockingjay, Part 1 presents a full narrative with its own sense of completion and a compelling introduction to Part 2, opening one year from this week.
The Games continue.
Best scenes
– Plutarch asking Effie to help with Katniss.
– Katniss making her demands in order to accept the position of the Mockingjay.
– Katniss’ failed attempts at shooting a propos video in a studio.
– Haymitch explaining how to film Katniss.
– The entire District 8 sequence.
– Peeta’s rescue.
– Every scene with Plutarch Heavensbee played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.
– Katniss performing “The Hanging Tree,” and what the song becomes.
Worst scenes
– District 13 watching Katniss’ propos videos. Seeing the Mockingjay symbol on their television screens – the same one appearing on billboards around town – made it feel too real.
– Katniss in a race against the clock to save Prim and Buttercup – a typical movie moment that was adapted in the wrong ways.
– One scene towards the end between Coin and Katniss that could’ve been scrapped. Overall, this film could’ve been about 10 minutes shorter.
Related: Hypable hits the Mockingjay red carpet
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