The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is finally here! As usual, the final film has been split into two and this is the first of the two parts. I have never read the sci-fi trilogy by Suzanne Collins, but after the very first film adaptation, I was hooked. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a fiery but very relatable protagonist who, after destroying the inhumane ‘Hunger Games’, becomes the face of a futuristic revolution. Katniss fuels a series of revolts from each district against The Capitol, making the film extremely war focused. It takes a step back from the chemistry of the notorious love triangle of Katniss, Gale and Peeta, and turns toward a serious take on the community and the consequence of the Civil War. Director Francis Lawrence did not hold back on the budget, with realistically grim scenes of war-torn districts and explosive action.
Jennifer Lawrence, now an international star thanks to her successful portrayal of the franchise’s heroine, is phenomenal (once again!) in this movie. She skilfully portrays a steadily maturing Katniss who is forced to carry the weight of a Revolution on her shoulders. We do not see much of her co-star Josh Hutcherson who plays Peeta Mellark, but be prepared for a shocking transformation. Most notably, we see an introduction of some entirely new characters. Natalie Dormer, memorable for her sultry performance as Anne Boleyn in The Tudors and Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones, emerges as a likeable and unique propaganda director for the Revolution. What stands out to me most in this film is the focus on the strong, leading females; a subtle but important image to be portrayed. An actor we cannot fail to mention is the late Philip Seymour Hoffman. His character, Plutarch, is endearing and provides a clever satire of the power of media in war. It is difficult to imagine the final part of The Hunger Games without such a memorable face. Finally, the characters of The Hunger Games become like old friends, as we are shown the development of more minor characters such as Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks). Banks is hilarious, and provides some wry humour to a somewhat bleak film of a fight for democracy.
If you still have not seen the first part of Mockingjay, then you need to! Lawrence is simply flawless and the bomb raid scenes are skilfully shot. The possibility of revolution is unnervingly relevant in today’s world and each character is intricately portrayed, successfully capturing a very human tale of the necessity of love and survival.