Hunger Games—Mockingjay Part 1
Dedicated to the memory of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played Plutarch Heavensbee, and who died on February 2, 2014, and is in this film as a District 13 who had been planning the overthrow of the government, Hunger Games—Mockingjay Part 1 opened to a $123-million box office.
Although impressive, it falls short of expectations at least in the money department.
Mockingjay, Part 1 is the long-awaited addition to the Hunger Games franchise, and clearly shows the rebels as they begin to show that they are a solid force to be reckoned with.
A mockingjay is a bird that was created through the inadvertent cross-breeding of jabberjays and mockingbirds. When Katniss Everdeen wore the pin with the Mockingjay, it angered the Capital as it represented a slight against them due to the mistake that caused their existence. Jabberjays were the birds that the Capitol engineered to be spies during the rebellion of the 13 districts (a bit mind numbing perhaps, but a tad interesting too).
After the Hunger Games were destroyed in the last film, Katniss becomes the reluctant leader of the rebels against the truly evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland).
Other returning notables are Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), who finds herself well out of her comfort zone as the ‘under made-up’ rebel who now lives in this gritty world within the District.
Stanley Tucci, as Caesar Flickerman (don’t you love these names?) is the fashionable talk-show host in the Capital and the now sober Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) also returns.
New to the cast is Julianne Moore as President Coin who, in real life, found out about the Hunger Games books because her daughters were reading them.
Katniss’s love interest Peeta Mellark (John Hutcherson) and her best friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth, who I personally think is a way better catch than Peeta, but what do I know?) is back after being less involved in the last couple of films.
There is not as much action nor as many characters in this film and there are a few fairly boring scenes, but it’s a good two hours and will keep its loyal fan base.
As usual, there is a surprise ending as we wait for the Mockingjay–Part 2.
I give Hunger Games—Mockingjay Part 1 three reels out of five (make that four for the die-hard Hunger Games fans).
