Let’s face it – these movies work best when somebody or something is actively trying to kill Katniss. Anything less, and you’re kidding yourself that this is topnotch entertainment.
In the original Hunger Games, everybody wanted to kill Jennifer Lawrence and we all watched in fear. Now, everybody who wants to kill Jennifer Lawrence seems to be off screen, trolling the internet. I’m really hoping Part II gets some good attempts on Katniss, because, in huge contrast to the first two Hunger Games films, she didn’t have to do all that much to survive Part I.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I is a two-hour propaganda war. This is silly. Or it would be if anybody actually knew that the Capital destroyed District 12 between films. The Capital gets on the Panem Network and spouts “Why can’t we all just get along?” Honestly, I don’t understand propaganda unless it comes with a Fox news logo, so here’s my impression: the Capital is all, “we got new EZ Bake Ovens” and District 13 is all, “oh yeah, well our prison-issued jumpsuits just came out in a new shade of gray.” Personally, District 13 looks about as fun as a heart attack … which, come to think of it, makes it exactly like District 12, only indoors.
District 13 (not to be confused with either District 9 or District B13) is the super secret underground bomb shelter district headed by President Coin (Julianne Moore), who is about as c
old as the nearest living reptile or Jessica Chastain. The Capital likes to pretend District 13 doesn’t exist, but I honestly don’t know if I know that only from the books. Katniss was airlifted there straight from destroying the Hunger Games playground at the end of Catching Fire. (“Let’s all thank Katniss for wrecking everything. Now there are no more Hunger Games forever.” –slow clap–) Also airlifted? The 800 or so remaining members of District 12, including Katniss’ mom and sister.
Early on, Katniss returns to District 12 for the cat. This leads to some great opportunities for misery. I believe the object of Mockingjay I is to get Katniss looking miserable in as many Panem locations as possible, like a frowny Travelocity Gnome. It doesn’t help that in the middle of this film, President Coin realizes the power of frowny Katniss and starts sending here places just for the photo op. This is great because Katniss gets to wear a new outfit (the drab just doesn’t work), but, honestly, you won’t believe there was that much of District 12 to reduce to rubble in the first place. Seriosuly, fellas, when we weren’t looking, did you build several skyscrapers that got knocked down?
And of course, the Katniss entourage is back – Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), Finnick (Sam Clafin), Gale (Thor’s brother), and even Effie (Elizabeth Banks). I have never seen anybody look as sickly awful as Elizabeth Banks in these films. And yet, her out-of-place hideous clown makeup has been eschewed as nonessential by D13. Congrats, movie, your depiction of Effie Trinket as an Auschwitz survivor makes me yearn for the disjointed Kabuki maquillage days of films 1 & 2.
But the one friend who didn’t return is Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). Mr. Katniss turns enemy for Mockingjay I, constantly appearing on Capital TV as a talk show guest on the hit program: “Why People Who Protest Suck.” For some reason, this makes Katniss mad.
Understand that none of this gets resolved until Part II. If you’ve bothered hanging around this long … well, there are worse filler movies to be sure.
Hey! It’s Katniss! … and a camera crew ?!
Plain to see, she’s got little to do
Emotions running hot?
Whatever you’ve got
Save it for Mockingjay Part II
Rated PG-13, 123 Minutes
D: Francis Lawrence
W: Peter Craig and Danny Strong
Genre: Words with former friends
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Katniss wannabes
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Peeta wannabes (are there any?)
