Movie Review: ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’

She frantically whispers into the dark, shakily choking out the facts: Her name is Katniss Everdeen. She was in the Hunger Games. She escaped. District 12 is gone. They took Peeta.

The newest installment in the franchise, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1,” wastes no time before jumping into hard-hitting, emotional scenes. Following the high-intensity cliffhanger at the conclusion of “Catching Fire,” the film picks up almost directly where it left off.

After escaping from her second Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) finds out Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) was taken hostage by the corrupt Capitol. She, however, has been whisked away to the secret District 13, where a colony of rebels has been hiding. Katniss quickly learns of the plan to make her the face of the rebellion, the mockingjay. After assuming the role, Katniss begins to understand what exactly is at stake as she battles through uprisings and attacks by the tyrant President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

“Mockingjay – Part 1″ adopts an entirely different tone from the previous two films. For the first time, the plot doesn’t revolve around the tributes getting sent to a death-marked arena. Bursts of action are scattered throughout the film in the form of graphic uprisings. The lumber-wielding workers of District 7 decimate a dam, sacrificing their own lives in the spirit of revolution. Likewise, Katniss ventures out to District 8 to fight off Capitol hovercrafts, her new amped-up weaponry wreaking flame-filled havoc on Capitol forces.

Although action sequences are less frequent in this film, director Francis Lawrence managed to still saturate nearly every scene with tension and high emotion. This is in large part because the film deals with the effects of psychological warfare, particularly as it affects younger generations.

Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as Katniss drives this aspect of the film forward. From one moment to the next, she can completely transform from a stubborn, confused teenager into tear-stained girl wracked by panic and post-traumatic stress disorder. Lawrence really commits to the role when she sets foot on the remains of her destroyed home in District 12. As her face twists into pained expressions and her entire body convulses, Katniss writhes in the effects of emotional torture.

Further emphasizing the affects of violence and revolution, Francis Lawrence didn’t shy away from creating a graphic war-zone. The flamboyant costumes from the last two films have been traded for utilitarian jumpsuits and dangerous rebel get-ups. Bomb-scarred landscapes and makeshift military bases make the scene realistic.

The effects in this film have a more organic quality. Explosions and CGI are complimentary to scenes rather than acting as the main events. The special effects take a backseat to the acting in this film, which was compelling, but may be surprising for some viewers given the nature of the previous two films. The camera technique serves to tell the story, but little else about the cinematography is particularly innovative.

Francis Lawrence has commendably removed the glamour that has surrounded the franchise to reveal what a revolution would look like. The oppressed people of Panem willingly sacrifice themselves to fight against militant peacekeepers and people from a makeshift hospital in District 8 sit pitifully surrounded by the corpses of their fallen comrades. The audience watches as Katniss and Peeta are torn apart from the inside out.

The film’s plot moves a bit slower than it could have, but this is almost expected since it’s only the first half of a book and consequently had to be stretched out. The film was nearly a true adaptation to the book and it cut off in a logical place, so fans of the book should be pleased with the result.

This film is a must, if not for the story, then at least to keep current with pop culture. “Mockingjay – Part 1″ is a compelling film, but it isn’t easy or fun to watch. All the cozy feelings about friendship and sticking up for loved ones have been replaced by fear and warfare. This film has completely changed the realm of the franchise.

– Kelsey Rocha