A Haunting Action Film | Review of ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’
By: Cynthia Ayala
Katniss Everdeen finds herself in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta and a nation moved by her courage.
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Synopsis provided by movie | fone
Mockinjay Part 1 is the third film in The Hunger Games series that follows one Katniss Everdeen as she discovers the truth about District 13 and the rebellion forces. With Peeta held captive by the Capital, his loyalties and Katniss’ are put to the test as they brainwash him and Katniss fights for him.
Over all, as the movie, this is the film that is more far removed from the book than the previous films that were carbon copies of the novel. As an adaptation it wasn’t as good as the previous films in the series, as an action film as well, it failed in comparison. Now, that is not to say that it was a bad movie, it was just slower than the other novels. It was obvious that the screenplay writers worked very hard to extend the plot line of the novel with the changes that they made. Some of those scenes were heartbreakingly beautiful as they showed the revolution take place and the people fight back.
As far as the acting goes, it was very well done, but Julianne Moore’s characterization was a little off. Julianne Moore is a great actress but Alma Coin is supposed to be a character that everyone loves to hate and also a character who viewers are supposed to understand really hates Katniss. Unfortunately neither the writers, the director or Julianne Moore understood that aspect of the novel.
Other than that, it was a well-made movie with a lot of heart and emotion to it that leaves the audience captivated.
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Screenplay by: Danny Strong & Peter Craig
Based on Mockinjay by Suzanne Collins
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman & Jeffrey Wright
Genre | Rating | Length: Science fiction, Adventure, Action | PG-13 | 2 hr. 3 min.
Cynthia Bujnicki
Cynthia Bujnicki is an avid reader with a Bachelors in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College. She spends her time working on her own novels, publishing under the name Nia Dragin, while she reads and reviews at for her own enjoyment. SHe was the former Creative Director of the YA, Fantasy and Sci-Fi section on the online publication World Light Review. As a manager at her local movie theater she also enjoys free movies while she works on building her own publishing company. An avid cat lover, she has a kitten named Mr. J the Kitten Who Thinks He's Batman and another named Boo. She lives in too sunny South Florida with her husband.
