The penultimate film of “The Hunger Games” series — “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 1″ — dials down the action but heightens the tension. The film centers on the beginning of the revolution in Panem and runs at a considerably slower pace than the first two films. If you’re hoping for two hours of action and explosions you’ll have to wait for the last installment.
The film takes place primarily in District 13, which acts as a headquarters for the rebellion against President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and the Capital City. Most of the film, directed by Francis Lawrence, focuses on Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) fulfilling her role as the face of the revolution.
District 13’s President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), with the help of Plutarch Heavensbee, played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, films several anti-President Snow propaganda clips starring Katniss. Snow counters these with his own clips of Katniss’s percieved love interest, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).
Lawrence gives a strong performance as the pressure of being the Mockingjay proves to be overwhelming. Katniss needs constant guidance and reassurance to keep from unravelling completely from her ever-dwindling support system. However, her original coach in the arena, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), continues to show his understanding for Katniss and what she needs to perform at her highest potential.
The only time we really see Katniss in action is when she and her love interest Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) fight against Capitol bombers to save a hospital full of fellow rebels.
Not only do we see Katniss’s transformation into a token of rebellion, but we also see more development from secondary characters. Hemsworth is given more of a spotlight in this film, as to show Gale’s passion for the rebellion and his dissatisfaction of Katniss constantly two-timing him and Peeta. Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) has only one scene, in which he reveals President Snow’s knack for poisoning anyone who tries to take his position from him. The scene was disappointing since Finnick’s confessions were viewed more as background noise to Gale and the other rebels’ infiltration to rescue Peeta from the Capitol.
The most entertaining performance was given by Hutcherson, even though he had the least screen time. The physical evidence of the abuse he is being put under grows gradually, and by the time he reaches District 13 he looks downright sinister. This allowed the audience to see the usually calm and collected Peeta become out of control, as a result of being brainwashed by Snow to attack Katniss.
“Mockingjay: Part 1” took a different approach from the last two films, and didn’t deliver the fast-paced, action-packed experience that was expected. It sets up the beginning of a violent revolution that will hopefully be fleshed out entirely in the final film.