The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 [2014] is the third installment of The Hunger Games Series that follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) on her journey through poverty, death games, and a task to take down President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the Capitol. In Mockingjay – Part 1 Katniss has survived the Quarter Quell and is approached by Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) and Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who wish for her to become the face of the Rebellion. Now living in the once thought to be destroyed District 13, Katniss must save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and the other Hunger Games victors.
Incredibly bland and ultimately repetitive. While this film sets up a good foundation for Mockingjay - Part 2, it lacks the entertainment of its predecessors. Yet another somber, teen demographic, political drama, this 120-minute film mirrors several other films released in recent years. The once fresh ideas and characters have become overused, washed-up and quite simply, boring. Throughout the film, the ‘brave heroine’ focuses more on the media and their desire to sway the population one way rather than on resolving the issue itself, resulting in a noticeable absence of action. With no clear ending, or beginning for that matter, the film is dark, dull and an overall drag.
Half a movie. Why has splitting one book into two films become such a trend in recent years? Mockingjay – Part 1 is noticeably only half a film, and not in a good way. There is no plot development and no direction for the entire film. For two hours, you wait for a climax, to reach a sudden halt – the end. If the intention was to build suspense and raise questions that Mockingjay – Part 2 is supposed to answer, the result was not successful. A disappointing follow up to Catching Fire, and honestly, a useless prequel to Mockingjay – Part 2.
A severely lackluster film leading up to the grand finale.
