Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Julian Moore
Director: Francis Lawrence
Genre: Science fiction, adventure
Duration: 123 minutes
The last time we saw Katniss Everdeen, she had escaped from the Quarter Quail, destroying the Games. If that sounded like gibberish, I suggest you watch the first two movies –The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, before you watch this one. Mockingjay Part 1 is the third movie in The Hunger Games series. If you have read the books by Suzanne Collins, the third book was split into two.
In brief, the series is set in the fictional Panem. A rebellion took place a long time ago that left the 12 districts of the country at the mercy of the Capitol, with barely any food at their disposal. Every year, a teenage girl and boy are picked from every district through lots to participate in The Hunger Games. The 24 girls and boys called tributes, participate in sadistic games, for the amusement of the Capitol and to also win food for their district.
In this part, Katniss (Lawrence) wakes up in District 13, which it turns out was not destroyed during the rebellion, surrounded by mostly strangers. Peeta (Hutcherson), her partner in the Games and love interest, is at the Capitol and President Snow (Sutherland) seems to have brainwashed him into being on his side. The people of District 13, under their leader, President Coin (Moore) compel Katniss into being the face of their rebellion against the Capitol. It doesn’t take a lot to convince her since she is angry and sad, so she becomes their symbol of rebellion –the mockingjay.
This is one of those movies where because you watched the first two, you can’t help watching it because you are already invested. That said, it does not rest on its laurels since we get solid acting from the cast. The characters grow from what they were in the first movies, as it should be. It is also a chance to see Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of the last movies he did before he died last February.