Movie Review: Mockingjay: Part 1

 

My Review (4 stars):

 

     Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014). *Heavy sigh* I was excitedly looking forward to this film since watching the incredible Catching Fire (2013). A bit nervous… nothing serious. Now my heart is utterly wrenched in two. I should have read the book series before watching this movie; I was not prepared, not at all. And now I sit here quite torn on how to think about Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014). Did I love it? Did I hate it? Some of both.

 

     I didn’t like The Hunger Games (2012) in the end. Too many violent characters with a sickening outlook. It told an intriguing story for sure, but it isn’t a movie I would re-watch. Catching Fire (2013) blew me away. While still more violent than I usually watch, the emotion was powerful, the continuation of the tale riveting. It was quite utterly fascinating. In addition, it had some great humor, :-D. I sat there at the end filled to the brim with amazing feelings, hardly able to wait for the next movie. But now that I’ve watched it, I shall warn you: Mockingjay: Part 1(2014) is a whole different world.

["If we burn, you burn with us!"]

 

     On a good note (in my opinion anyway), there is no more TV shows of pitting people against each other to the death as entertainment. The last year of the Hunger Games stunned all in the previous movie. I believe it’s the last at least. In Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014), Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is suffering from the trauma of having left Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) behind. She’s in the (mostly) demolished District 13 with a host of rebels who are ready to fight back against the tyrannical government of Panem. And they want her as their symbol.

[Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen]

 

     The first two movies were violent, gory, and grim with their horrid games. But now we step into an ominous world with war broiling on the horizons. War against an evil government. That being said, there is some extremely disturbing happenings in this movie, emotionally and otherwise. President Snow is seriously depraved and even inhuman in his lack of conscience.

 

     ***SPOILER ALERT*** GAH! Peeta!!! Poor, dear, sweet Peeta!! No, no, no! HOW COULD SHE (Suzanne Collins) DO THIS??!! It’s… it’s worse than death! Now he doesn’t remember Katniss. Their story. His devotion to her. All the sweet things he said to her. He won't know she finally realized how much she loves him! He doesn’t even know who he is. He’s been made into a monster…a weapon of the deranged capital! This is what he was so afraid of!! AHHH!! *Buckets of tears* Okay. *Ahem* *sniff* I just had to get that out of my system. If anyone has a remedy for Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014) induced trauma, please let me know. If things don’t look up for Peeta in the next (last) movie, I will hate this series forever. I’m dying a thousand deaths for Peeta and Katniss! *More tears* Alright… let me get a hold of myself. ***SPOILER ALERT ENDS***

[Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark]

 

     Now that I was able to get all that out, I will try to go on with this review. :-p It wasn’t all tears, and eyes wide in horror, and all that. I was thrilled to be back into Katniss’s story at the beginning of Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014). It was good to see Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Effie (Elizabeth Banks), Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), Primrose (Willow Shields), Finnick (Sam Claflin), and Beetee (Jeffery Wright). Effie's transformation was...a bit shocking, haha. Also, it was quite interesting to delve more into Finnick's story. They were all together and safe for the moment. But of course, Peeta and Joanna and Annie weren’t there. Again, there was real, breath-taking, gut-wrenching emotion. The actors do an amazing job in making this story come to life. I was stunned and captivated by it all once again. There were a few brief moments of humor, but not nearly as much as Catching Fire (2013) had. This is a grim story. Heart-breaking separation. War. Desperate escapades. Even so, it was all quite epic. We watch Katniss struggle and grow and rise to her feet, ready to be a warrior. Ready to be the mockingjay. Ready to fight for the oppressed and her loved ones.

[Katniss Everdeen - the Mockingjay]

 

[Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket]

[Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair]

 

     I really liked this movie for the most part. Yes, some parts were agonizing. Some parts were a bit violent. But it’s a superb story. Awesome acting. Entrancing emotion. It was a thrilling action film with a heart-breaking love story.

 

     But yeah. I WAS NOT prepared for the end. I think I pictured it more a Divergent (2014)-like scenario. It was…um…nothing like that. Brings the incident to a whole new level.

 

     That being said, I’ll add in that besides the end part, I didn’t feel that the violence was too graphic in this movie. The film-makers were pretty good about cutting it away from anything dramatic. Until the end. *Clears throat* Yep, that was rather brutal. Plus it wreaks havoc with your emotions. Huge caution to younger audience. This is older teen to adult content. Depending on what you can handle. I’m “adult”, but that scene was a little much for me.
     As for gory… we have a few scenes of terrible deaths caused by the brewing war. You can’t see much, but you get the gist, and it’s really sad. Oh, there is one scene of a hospital where more is shown. That was a bit disturbing. Some people, main characters even, are bruised, cut, really look in bad condition at various points.

     No swearing that I can remember.

     We still have that frustrating love triangle. I do not like this love triangle. However, it is starting to lean one way; Katniss is starting to realize who she really loves I think (romantically, that is). But poor Gale! We see a lot of him in Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014); and definitely see more into his heart and what he is suffering. *sad face*

[Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne]

 

     I don’t know what else to say. I really liked most of this movie. It wasn’t what I expected. But still fascinating. I nearly died (you know, in my little land of Katniss and Peeta) with the ending parts. I’m so scared that the series is going to end terribly… eek!! So badly want to watch Mockingjay: Part 2 (2015), but at the same time, I’m so worried…

 

     Ah! Help me out here, fellow watchers! I’m a happy-ending kind of girl. Though Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014) thrills, the end leaves you rather in an emotional wreck. That’s how close I get to fictional characters, ha! I have hope though. Mockingjay: Part 2 (2015), please bring some good things for our beloved, strong, broken couple. I didn't completely hate this movie, despite what my review might imply. I'm just imagining the depressing ways they could end the series. If Part 2 goes better, than this movie will be so much easier to watch!

 

     Never mind. I can’t stand this. I think I’ll go read the books so I know what to expect!

 

     So tell me. I'm dying to know. What are your thoughts on Mockingjay: Part 1 (2014)?

 

[Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson. HUGS. Just to make me feel better, :-)]

 

*For more detailed information about Mockingjay: Part I (2014), visit pluggedin.com: http://www.pluggedin.com/videos/2015/q1/hunger-games-mockingjay-part-1.aspx*