I wasn't
sure what to expect with "Mockingjay Part 1," which is in its most
basic conception, only the first half of a story that won't conclude
until "Part 2" in November, thanks to the infuriating trend of franchise
finale-splitting. The source material is reportedly a problematic
installment that left many of the series' fan unsatisfied. And of
course, there are all the usual complaints that we're watching films
about children killing each other, aimed at a strictly PG-13 young adult
audience.
Then again, consider that "Mockingjay"
stars recent Oscar darling Jennifer Lawrence, and the supporting cast
includes Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore,
Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, and Jeffrey
Wright. The worldbuilding and the allegorical elements of the films
have gotten stronger and stronger with each film, and strategy and
negotiation scenes are now far more important than any depictions of
combat. In the first "Hunger Games" I thought that it was clever that
one of the challenges Katniss faced was learning how to cultivate a
sympathetic media image to help her win the Games. Now in the third
film, that media image is being used to incite a full-blown revolution,
and Katniss struggles to leverage the power that comes with that
position to help her loved ones. Unlike many cinematic revolution
stories, our heroine isn't leading the charge. Rather, Katniss spends
much of the movie reconciling the gulf between the manufactured image of
the freedom-fighter Mockingjay and who she actually is - an overwhelmed
teenage girl whose first priority is saving a captured love interest.
So
"Mockingjay" is a strange bird, a blockbuster action film that doesn't
contain much action at all, where the heroine's biggest contribution to
the cause is the creation of propaganda, and the major setting is a
colorless underground bunker. Violence is all around them, but we see
little of it directly. Rather, I was gratified to discover that
"Mockingjay" is one of those rare films that is actually about the
consequences of violence. What we do see of the uprising is brutal, and
many people die, but the focus is on the psychological damage done to
Katniss and her friends. I've seen some complaints that Katniss is less
sympathetic in this film because she spends so much of it passive,
indecisive, and fixated on saving a few people as hundreds are dying in
her name. But if you consider the circumstances and the kind of trauma
that she's been subjected to throughout this series, it makes sense that
Katniss would react like this, and only embrace the role of the
Mockingjay gradually over time as the stakes are raised. Like the first
part of "Deathly Hallows," the quieter buildup to the big action finale
actually gives the series the room to show its protagonist's character
growth.
I can't say enough good things about the
cast here. Lawrence is as compelling as ever, and holds her own against
some acting heavyweights. I especially like Sutherland's malevolent
President Snow and Julianne Moore as the pragmatic President
Coin. Elizabeth Banks' Effie Trinket provides some very welcome comic
relief, while Philip Seymour Hoffman keeps a lot of ridiculous
exposition from sounding too ridiculous. Sam Claflin and Josh
Hutcherson don't get a lot to do, but they ensure their few scenes have a
lot of impact. And I'm even more impressed with director Francis
Lawrence and the writers for giving the cast the kind of material to
turn in some very memorable performances. We're still in typical
blockbuster territory, and there are some missteps with the dialogue,
but you can definitely count "Mockingjay" as one of the better franchise
films this year that embraces difficult ideas, alongside "Days of
Future Past" and "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes."
And
while "Mockingjay" is less visually interesting than the previous
"Hunger Games" films, the production is still excellent. The bombed out
towns covered in rubble, the sterile living spaces of District 13, and
the utilitarian clothing (that Effie despairs of) feel much closer to
reality than anything we've seen before, while still being stylized
enough to maintain some distance. "Mockingjay" eliminates many of the
little fantastic conceits that have characterized the series so far,
which makes the atmosphere much more serious and grim. Two of the best
action scenes in the whole series are here - brief examples of unrest in
the other Districts that Katniss instigates. I still found some of the
effects work a little shaky, a problem that has been with this
franchise since the beginning, but it's a minor issue this time out.
This
is easily the best film of the "Hunger Games" series, and I expect that
"Mockingjay Part 2" won't top it, considering the kind of action-heavy
finale the filmmakers have been promising. But you never know. "The
Hunger Games" has consistently exceeded my expectations and its latest
installment has cemented its place as my current favorite ongoing film
series.
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