The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

DiagonaldiVery well executed

RedwarminThis movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

VioundonOne hour and a half of nothing

Juanawhat a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

ejm736This ranks with the Last Jedi, should have stopped at 2

Daniel Aplin"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1", continues on the franchise from where "Catching Fire" left off. "Mockingjay Part 1" being Part 1 of a 2-part story it obviously not going to be the fastest paced film. This being said the story didn't feel like it dragged on and was still a fantastic entry to the franchise. Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived. She awakens from the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell deep inside the hunkered catacombs of District 13. Separated from some of her closest allies and fearing for their safety in the Capitol, Katniss finally agrees to be the Mockingjay, the symbolic leader of the rebellion. Still uncertain as to whom she can trust, Katniss must help 13 rise from the shadows, all the while knowing that President Snow has focused his hatred into a personal vendetta against her-and her loved ones. "Francis Lawrence", the director of this film, once again directs it very smoothly and differently in the fact that there are no games in this one. He takes advantage of the sets to make them as useful as possible and he takes a smart turn with this one. The acting from "Jennifer Lawrence" is once again amazing with a lot more emotional scenes put on her. Although "Josh Hutchersons" character doesn't have much screen time he defiantly redeemed himself from his previous attempt with Peeta Mellark in "Catching Fire". The last lead is "Liam Hemsworth" but his look on his character, Gale Hawthrone, makes him seem like a very boring and self centered character, although its not "Liam Hemsworths" fault that his character seem self centered he defiantly plays a role in it. "Sam Claflin" is back playing his character Finnick Odair but his character doesn't have much screen time, saying that "Sam Claflin" does make use of his time. Although the characters in this film are mostly the same as the last two films there are a couple more characters introduced. One of them include President Alma Coin who is the leader of District 13. They mostly leave her character in the dark to make her seem on Katniss' side. But Katniss doesn't really know who's side she's on. Another new stand out character of the film is Cressida, who is part of Katniss' camera team. The returning characters have massive character development through the film especially Katniss and Peeta. Another great part of this film is the score composed by James Newton Howard, although there aren't so many great songs in it the ones that are great, I mean are really really great. Obviously having less action in this film you would think it would need less special effects. Wrong. The film had a high budget of an estimated $125 Million. Most of this probably went into the set design of District 13, but if you think about it they can't build a whole civilization underground in three months. So what does this mean they have to use. Special Effects and my god you can't even tell if the characters are standing in front of a green screen. Another place they succeeded in in the special effects department are the action scenes. Including the District 8 bombing and the Hanging Tree Action sequence. The only issue I had with this film is a small pacing issue in the beginning. It didn't drag on but it did have a couple of filler scenes near the beginning, but if you took them out some of the movie wouldn't make sense so I guess they should've made those couple of scenes different from the book which it stayed true to. Overall "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" was a very good entry to the fantastic "The Hunger Games" Franchise with once again smooth directing and spectacular acting from most of the cast. It had great character's, a good score, amazing special effects but it did have small pacing issues near the beginning. I give 2014's "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" a 9.5/10.

CinemaCocoaSo The Hunger Games follows the lead of Harry Potter and – its own spiritual nemesis – Twilght, and splits its final chapter in half. The result… is not surprising.After the events of the trilogy's second act, Catching Fire, Katniss wakes up surrounded by new allies with dubious motives. She desperately wants to rescue Peeta, who has been taken by the tyrannical Capitol, but her allies want her to become a symbol of strength and hope for the downtrodden Districts.Compared to the first two films, this one feels like the most grim, realistic interpretation of the themes involved. Mockingjay Part 1 is a bleak, visually monotone and narratively reserved; there are lots and lots of visuals depicting death and destruction, we see heroine Katniss standing in a field of burnt bodies and skulls, we have executions and brainwashing to drill into our heads that The Capitol are vicious. Wow. I never would have thought I would say that, the incompetent villains are actually evil here, we actually get a real sense of uncompromising tyranny that could rule over millions of lives. The threat is finally real, and there's a sense that Katniss really must choose, that her fate is now entwined with the fate of all the Districts.But this whole cutting the chapter in half nonsense continues to not work. My prevailing memory of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 are those of stale, dull, elongated moments (mostly camping in the forest), and Mockingjay Part 1 is no different. Scenes are stretched, padded and unnecessarily quiet and dull. When watched in a vacuum this only makes the persistent thought of "this isn't going to conclude" all the more apparent. Most of the film is about Katniss trying to get over tension and shock to become the poster girl for a rebellion. There little to no combat or action, because this is only the first and partly second act of a complete film.I boycotted this film's release on principle: the first two films had uneventful segments, and if they boost that uneventfulness into one entire movie, I will be both bored and unsatisfied. While the film didn't quite bore me as much as I thought it might, it was as unsatisfying as I expected.Perhaps the best part of this film is the twisted dynamic between Katniss and Peeta. While it does not have the same power as Catching Fire's celebrity gossip themes, it is this film's greatest asset. Although I do have a soft spot for stories that literally corrupt heroes.The Capitol finally have fangs, and the film benefits tremendously from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and newcomer Juiliane Moore, Jennfier Lawrence too maintains her multi-layered Katniss very well and there's a good sense of continuity with Catching Fire. But I refuse, I refuse to believe this is better as two parts. A screenwriter worth his or her salt could compress this into a single film, perhaps the longest film in the series but at least that's not the ridiculous cash grab that is two incomplete films.Each Lord of the Rings book was a single film!I went into Mockingjay Part 1 with cynicism, and unfortunately it didn't change my overall opinion enough. Sure, I fully admit I am too old for this series (if I were thirteen I'd be all over it, and completely smitten by Ms Lawrence) and if I were a fan I'd be chewing my own arm off to see the conclusion. But in terms of singular films, which this must be rated as, it is nothing spectacular.

TheLittleSongbirdAs said with the first two 'Hunger Games' films (which had its plus points but didn't do much for me), the books are fun, scary, thrilling and moving though because being so rich in detail and characterisation they are difficult to adapt.Generally the films, while all with their good points, don't do them justice, following the basic details but with the spirit watered down to blandness and the characters nowhere near as fascinating. Judging the films on their own terms is to me a fairer way to judge though, and will be done here because they are problematic on their own. Of the four films (which all have good points but just as enough problems that stop me from caring for them much), 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part I' is the weakest, it feels too much like set-up and set-up that's very tame and really struggles to justify its length.There are certainly good things. The production values, some dodgy special effects aside, are very well done with the nightmarishly dystopian production design faring best, it's lit with atmosphere and luckily the cinematography and editing is not the sloppy and frenetic kind seen in the first film. The score is thrilling and emotive, and there are some good performances here. This is particularly true of a terrific Jennifer Lawrence, dastardly Donald Sutherland, moving Philip Seymour Hoffman, smarmy Stanley Tucci and classy Julianne Moore.Not all the cast work. Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson are still lacking charisma and expression, while Elizabeth Banks (a high point of the first film) and Woody Harrelson have nothing to do.Lack of character development and halfway-decent writing plays a large part here. The characters had a lot of meat to them before but here are pretty bland stereotypes with non-existent development or direction, Katniss excepted. Didn't find myself caring for the relationship between Katniss and Peeta, mainly because of Peeta being written and played so blandly but also the chemistry didn't seem to be there. The writing does feel under-cooked, with some cringe-worthy moments and lacks edge or any kind of emotion a lot of the time.'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part I' could have easily been shorter, because the story feels far too thin and over-stretched which makes some scenes interminably dull and dreary. The film is basically set-up and after finishing on a note every bit as abrupt as the ending for 'Catching Fire' it feels like set-up that doesn't lead or go anywhere. Atmosphere-wise, it just feels rather tame in alternative to tense and leaden rather than edgy. The direction is pretty pedestrian here.In summary, bland and over-stretched despite some good performances, production values and music. 4/10 Bethany Cox