The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Rating: 8/10 (4 December 2015)

This film series based on the popular three part book series has become a big hype, the first film was very good, and the second film was brilliant, the producers decided there like the last Harry Potter that the final instalment had enough material to split the final film into two parts, this is the first part, directed by Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend, Water for Elephants). Basically in the dystopian future world of Panem, following the events of the 75th Hunger Games, where the arena was destroyed, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and fellow victors Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) and Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) have been taken to supposedly non-existent independent District 13, isolated from the rest of Panem, that has been leading a rebellion, there Katniss is reunited with her Mother (Paula Malcomson) and sister Primrose "Prim" (Willow Shields). While recuperating Katniss is introduced to rebel leader President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), who tells her actions in the arena sparked riots and strikes against the Capitol, they ask her to become the "Mockingjay", the symbol of the rebellion, as part of their "hearts and minds" strategy. Katniss refuses because she is angry her portrayed lover and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) was left behind in the arena, she changes her mind after visiting the ruins of District 12, bombed by the Capitol, and seeing Peeta alive on television is being used by the Capitol to put an end to the rebellion, Katniss agrees to become the Mockingjay, on the condition that Peeta and the other victors are rescued and pardoned, and her sister can keep her cat. Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) knows that Katniss thrives on being spontaneous, she is dressed up in a specially-designed outfit and given redesigned bow and arrow weaponry, her stylist is Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), her bodyguard is close friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), and her film team is led by Capitol escapee Cressida (Natalie Dormer). Katniss cannot create a convincing promotion film in the studio, so she and the film crew go out to District 8, they conclude filming in a hospital, but it is bombed by a Capitol squadron, killing everyone inside, in rage Katniss delivers a rousing speech to camera, Beetee hijacks the Capitol's news feed to broadcast it to all districts, after the broadcast an entire team of Peacekeepers are killed with hidden land mines by District 7 strikers. The team see a weakened Peeta on a television, after this they go back to District 12, Gale tells the story of its destruction, Katniss is filmed singing "The Hanging Tree", soon after hundreds of protesters in District 5 are singing the same anthem, and launch a suicidal human wave attack. The attack is successful in destroying the hydroelectric dam, the Capitol's primary source of electricity, this causes the Capitol to have a power surge and revert to backup power, weakening their ability to broadcast propaganda. That night, Katniss watches for Games presenter Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) interviewing Peeta, former Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Coin hijack the signal to show a clip of Katniss, Peeta sees it and realises she is alive, he suddenly shouts a warning that the Capitol will attack District 13, Coin orders an evacuation into the underground shelters. Prim is nearly locked out going back for her cat, but everyone manages to get inside safely, the facility survives the attack unharmed, returning to the surface the area has been littered with white roses, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) has sent them to taunt Katniss, she presumes he will kill Peeta. Coin dispatches an elite special forces team, including Gale, to infiltrate the Capitol's Tribute centre and rescue Peeta, along with remaining victors Johanna Mason (Jena Malone) and Annie Cresta (Stef Dawson), from their prison. The rescue is successful, but when Katniss goes to reunite with Peeta he unexpectedly attacks her, she is strangled until unconscious, Boggs (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) knocks Peeta out, Katniss waking in the medical facility is informed that Peeta has suffered physical and mental torture, he has been "hijacked", brainwashed to want to kill her, using psychological terror created by tracker jacker venom. Peeta is strapped and held in solitary confinement, a serum is being developed to reverse the effects of the "hijacking", the film ends with Coin announcing the successful victors rescue, and that their next objective is in the ravines on District 2, the Capitol's principal military stronghold. Also starring Robert Knepper as Antonius, Evan Ross as Messalla, Elden Henson as Pollux and Patina Miller as Commander Paylor. Lawrence is a great actress and she becomes much more fascinating and determined to go against the threat to humanity, Hutcherson does well being both vulnerable and tortured, Sutherland is a much more dastardly bastard, Moore is a great new edition to the cast, and Hoffman, who sadly died during production, remains terrific in his final performance. The special effects are excellent, there are no Games and no love story this time, the exciting scenes are those on the battlefield with explosions all over the place, the war drama and character interactions are good narratives, the song by Lawrence is moving, and the song "Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde in the end credits is good as well, this high octane film will definitely urge you to see the conclusion, a fantastic futuristic action adventure thriller. Very good!