Several outlets have published reviews of The Hunger Games, Mockingjay, Part 1, and they are a mix of good and bad.
Check out some choice quotes from several reviews (spoiler free). Hypable hasn’t seen Mockingjay yet but will publish our own review once we can.
First, let’s start with the bad. The Hollywood Reporter offered up what may be the most scathing review of Mockingjay, Part 1 so far, essentially calling it a fluff film:
Like an overgrown and bloated trailer for a film yet to come, Francis Lawrence’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 spreads perhaps 45 minutes of dramatic material across two far-too-leisurely hours.
Unfortunately, Mockingjay — Part 1 has all the personality of an industrial film. There’s not a drop of insolence, insubordination or insurrection running through its veins; it feels like a manufactured product through and through, ironic and sad given its revolutionary theme.
Variety had a mixed review:
Unsubtly resonant, at times quite rousing and somewhat unsatisfying by design, this penultimate series entry is a tale of mass uprising and media manipulation that itself evinces no hint of a rebellious streak or subversive spirit: Suzanne Collins’ novels may have warned against the dangers of giving the masses exactly what they want to see, but at this point, the forces behind this hugely commercial property are not about to risk doing anything but.
And now, a little more positive. From The Guardian:
The first of two films adapted from the final book of Suzanne Collins’s bestselling Hunger Games trilogy, Mockingjay – Part 1, is a multimillion dollar stopgap. Director Francis Laurence ekes a paltry story out. The special effects are limp and the script a little creaky, although somehow it still manages to thrill.
Rebel Katniss is somehow less fun than the woman Stanley Tucci’s TV host labelled The Girl on Fire. Yet she must fight on against the Capitol. Panem demands it. The franchise demands it more. Mockingjay – Part 2 will round out the action this time next year. In the meantime Part 1 is a likeable preamble, a moment to let the flames die down before adding more fuel. “Fire is catching!” yells Katniss. Yes, but it’s taking its time.
As you watch, you can feel a franchise being eked out to squeaking point: like the two-part conclusions to the Harry Potter and Twilight series, this feels like a business decision rather than a creative one. Only the most uncritical fans, for whom more will always unquestionably be better, could possibly be at peace with two hours of preamble with no discernible payoff.
Still, for the most part, the preamble serves its purpose: hackles are raised, whiskers are set twitching, appetites are whetted if not met. Following the events of Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is hiding out in the iron caverns of District 13, where the revolution against the Capitol is starting to foment.
Bringing aboard Danny Strong (who co-adapts Suzanne Collins‘ novel with Peter Craig of “The Town”) was a wise move; Strong, after all, has shown a gift for taking the big ideas of politics and historical sweep and slicing them down to bite-size chunks, first in the HBO movies “Recount” and “Game Change” and then on the big screen with “Lee Daniels’ The Butler.”
By their very nature, each of The Hunger Games movies end on a bit of a cliffhanger. There’s always more story to tell. However, with the first two films, those stories at least had a conclusion before tagging on a tease. There’s a lot of good stuff in Mockingjay Part 1, but far more than the other films, it feels like an incomplete story.
The conclusion works as a set piece, combining several moving pieces into a great climactic moment, but it’s only partially satisfying. After two hours of set up, one major story point is settled. You quickly realize you’re watching the first half of a four-hour movie. Then again, “Part 1″ is in the title. This was an issue that was likely to plague the movie no matter what. Nevertheless, you can’t help but think a little less of the movie when it sets up such good stuff that won’t pay off for another year.
What are your thoughts on the film after reading these reviews?
We’re not surprised to hear that splitting the film in two wasn’t necessary. This is something that Breaking Dawn and Deathly Hallows suffered as well. But, like with Twilight and Harry Potter, Mockingjay, Part 2’s excitement should make up for what part one is lacking.
Mockingjay, Part 1 hits theaters November 21. Buy your tickets now on Fandango (because you know you want to see it despite the mixed reactions)!