Hello, everyone! Well, it’s finally that time of year again.
The time when I get to talk about a Young Adult novel series turned movies that
I actually like.
For as much hassle as I give films in this vein, I won’t
deny the films that have exceptional merits. Longtime readers will no doubt
know of my fondness for The Hunger Games books by Suzanne Collins, and their
subsequent film adaptations. Heck, Catching Fire made my top ten best films of
2013 list. I have always admired this series for its scathing societal
commentary of obsession with reality television and the celebrity that comes
with it, and its examination of governmental communism and manipulation.
So, you could see why I’d be so excited for today’s topic,
Mockingjay – Part 1, based on what is my favorite book in the series. Of
course, it still had its struggles to put up with. In what many assume was yet
another money-grubbing attempt to cash in on the success of The Deathly
Hallows, Mockingjay is the latest YA book to be split into two films, with the
second half due out in November 2015.
And just like any of the tested alliances in the book, this
decision turns out to be a necessary evil.
Having survived the Hunger Games once again, and taken to a
top secret underground base in the presumed wasteland of District 13, Katniss
Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) now finds herself in the midst of a growing
rebellion in Panem between the oppressed people of the districts, and the
tyrannical forces of the Capitol. Seeking to finally make President Snow (Donald
Sutherland) pay for his heinous actions, and to also secure the safety of Peeta
(Josh Hutcherson), Katniss becomes the Mockingjay symbol of rebellion, not
realizing what secret agendas may be in play.
Whereas the first two Hunger Games films were a commentary
and satire against reality television exploitation, Mockingjay – Part 1
switches the dynamic up by further developing its revolutionary thematic (at
times, evoking memories of Benghazi), and parodies World War 2 recruitment
propaganda videos. Realizing that Katniss is not much of an actor, the natural
decision is to take her out to various locations, followed by a film crew led
by director Cressida (Natalie Dormer) who captures Katniss’ raw, unscripted
anger towards the wrongdoings of the Capitol. Chockfull of subtle touches like
budget-constrained visuals, and on the nose slogans, it also represents a true
passion for practical filmmaking, as opposed to overly digitized green-screen
shooting.
The acting is uniformly terrific, with the standout being
Jennifer Lawrence once more. Having barely survived the Quarter Quell, we first
see Katniss in an almost catatonic state, setting the grim tone we’ll
experience for the rest of the film. While she may have been as strong as she
could for as long as she could, we now see her suffering from severe PTSD, a
condition she only finds solace from when actively becoming involved with the
fight against the government. It’s finding that right balance of how much you
let your emotions dictate what you do that’s a challenge for Katniss, and
Lawrence is more than up for the task, showing off more incredible range of
emotion, from snarky and hopeful, to devastated and grief-stricken. Joining the
cast is veteran actress Julianne Moore as District 13 president Alma Coin, a
figure who tends to act as nurturing and rational as she can, but much like her
associated color of grey (in fact, much of the district is associated with that
color), is shrouded in mystery with secret agendas. Much of the cast of the
first two films make a return as well, all playing their parts terrifically.
As for the controversial splitting-decision, many critics
have been quick to tear into the film for doing this, seeing it as a greedy way
to extend the franchise’s life and make more money. While I don’t want to be
too presumptuous myself, I can’t help but feel that everything said has been
too unfair and hyperbolic.
While I also hate the decision of splitting one book into
two films (or a trilogy in The Hobbit’s case), and I initially dreaded it
entirely, with this book, this is a decision made for a justifiable purpose.
Being that the entirety of the book is from Katniss’s point of view, we never
did get to see much of what was going on outside the confines of 13. We only
heard it through descriptions, something that would obviously fly in the face of the “Show,
don’t tell” rule of cinema. With this film, it has an opportunity to flesh out
and expand on the scope of the world, show off incredible sequences of uprising
in other districts, and deliver some truly arresting action sequences, such as
a stellar attack on a dam (with phenomenal sound work by Jeremy Peirson), and a
Zero Dark Thirty-esque extraction of captured victors in the Capitol.
However, where credence is ultimately due to critics is that
it also features dull, extended stretches. Sequences like this include
conversations between President Snow and two high-ranking assistants (both of
which were not featured in the original novel), and exist solely to pad the
running time to two hours. This also applies for an ending which goes on
several minutes longer than necessary, and doesn’t carry as strong a
cliffhanger as it could have. The film also works in more Effie Trinket,
notably absent from almost the entire book, and while Elizabeth Banks is still
terrific, these additions can feel superfluous.
However, Mockingjay – Part 1 is clearly a set up for great
things to come in the second part (and I can tell you that it won't be just one giant action sequence that
many may assume), and it's ultimately unfair to accurately judge what is only a piece of a full product. If you
haven’t liked any of the other films yet, this film probably won’t win you over
as it is the weakest film yet, but if you’re willing to accept the decision to
split these films for what it is, you’ll more than likely be able to walk away
satisfied and filled with anticipation.
Fire is catching, and we’ll see how it all concludes next
year.
**** / *****
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