The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 pretty much picks up where Catching Fire left off. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is now living in District 13, where the core of the resistance resides. President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the other leaders of the rebellion want Katniss to be the face of the revolution, to play a major role in the propaganda that they hope will inspire the people of Panem to join the fight. But while Katniss wants to help, she is still concerned with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), who is still in the Capitol. Worse yet, he's showing up in broadcasts, making a case against war. Katniss is torn between the righteousness of the cause and her loyalty to Peeta and the rest of the victors, who might be killed in retaliation for her actions.
The film, despite retaining the Hunger Games label, doesn’t have much to do with the games at all. It breaks out of the familiar structure of the first two stories and dives headlong in a war story. But the war portrayed in the film isn’t so much about guns and bombs, though there are plenty on display. Continuing the trend of the first two chapters, Mockingjay is a story about perception and propaganda. In the world of this story, it isn’t enough to be on the right side. It is just as important to be perceived to be on the right side, to win the hearts and minds of the citizens who will eventually have to make sacrifices to usher in the vision of a better age.
This is the cruel trick of this narrative: Katniss is definitely a hero, but she is one who is never fully in control. As much as she is her own person, she is still subject to the whims of greater powers. And the film doesn’t shy away from depicting the horrible consequences of the inspiration that she brings. People may be fighting for their freedom, but they are also rushing headlong into danger. There are triumphs in the film, but they never feel complete. There is just a nagging sense that there might be something more at play.
The film falters when it strays from its themes, when it seeks diversion in other things. The film does struggle to find a complete story with just half the narrative at its disposal. With so much being saved for the final chapter, this film is left to try and build something compelling from just a fragment of the whole story. And it doesn’t quite work out. This film’s plot concerns itself mostly with Katniss’ yearning to be reunited with Peeta, and while there are strong moments in this plotline, it struggles to find forward momentum. And it’s also tied to the weakest of this story so far: the tepid love triangle involving her childhood sweetheart Gale.
But those narrative deficiencies aren’t nearly enough to negate the merits of the film. The action is all very well handled, director Francis Lawrence putting together some really distinct sequences. And the movie just as deftly handles the satire and commentary. And Jennifer Lawrence really is one of the best actresses of her generation. She plays Katniss as a really complicated, conflicted character, playing up a wariness and confusion that separates her from young adult protagonists. She stands up well to even the most veteran members of the cast, which includes Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, and the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 does feel a little thin; clearly a consequence of only having access to a part of a larger plot. Maybe this novel doesn’t really warrant two whole movies. It’s difficult to speculate. But though we do not get a wholly satisfying narrative experience, the film delivers admirably on a thematic level. It is still a pretty thrilling work, even when its plot yearns for something more substantial to hold on to.
My Rating:
