Director: Francis Lawrence
By Alex Watson
So now Suzanne Collins' beloved Hunger Games Trilogy novels begins to come full circle. Thus far Katniss Everdeen has proven to be a fearless yet real heroine that the big screen has been calling out for. After the success of the previous installment Catching Fire, director Francis Lawrence again returns for this two part finale. Fans are sure to be kept waiting on tenterhooks as we await the final outcome in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part One.
After the devastating consequences of Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her family are now living among rebels in District 13, run by President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore). While Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) is being kept prisoner in Panem by villainous President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Eager to seek justice for the tyranny caused, Katniss agrees to be the rebels 'Mockingjay' and the face of the upcoming revolution!
While it is very well acted, stylish and entertaining as normal, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One cannot escape the fact that it just feels like a filler before the big event! Going for the same two part format as Harry Potter, this installment feels more like the business end of the spectrum and the characters we love are not given any potential room to breathe. Set mainly in the District 13 underground, this confined space makes Francis Lawrence's film suffers from a lack of thrills.
Early on there are some memorable moment such as an exciting air raid sequence on an unarmed hospital. More moments like this could have raised the movies game further. There are moments of unexpected comedy such as Plutarch Heavensbee's (Philip Seymour Hoffman) roaring frustration behind the special effect desk during his first attempts at filming Katniss' propaganda clips. But these brief flurries are only blips on the radar and before long the lengthy and talky sequences underground begin to stifle us!
Katniss is still appealing as a character and it is through her that the movies mainly qualities come to light. Forced to play the role of reluctant idol, her trips above ground provide a real eye opener for her. As she witnesses the ruins of her old district, we are shown what is essentially a mass bone yard of bodies! Her pain and anguish are potent here and she continually witnesses the violent injustice of Snow's empire, we feel every ounce of her venom pouring into the speeches she is forced to film!
Jennifer Lawrence has been the main credit for the appeal of Katniss and once again she delivers in Mockingjay Part One. Demonstrating her great human touch along with her tough rebellious streak, Lawrence is the driving force once more and you can see exactly why her character appeals to rebels she is sworn to protect. One of the finest actresses on the planet currently, it is unbelievable to think that she isn't yet at the peak of her powers!
Philip Seymour Hoffman reminds us what a great talent he was before his tragic death earlier this year (the film is dedicated to his memory). Julianne Moore makes a decent but not unmissable presence as Alma Coin and seems to spend the majority of her time making grand speech. Donald Sutherland in only a few scenes still makes for an icy and bold villain as President Snow and his casting has proven inspired.
While Part Two might be the cherry on top of the flaming cake, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part One just isn't satisfying in the way that we would hope. It will leave die hard fans counting the days until the true finale appears, but to others it will just seem like a disappointing starter to a more meatier main course.
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