The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1 Review

     Ever since the success of "Harry Potter," dozens of book series have been adapted for the big screen in an attempt to be the next big franchise; very few have succeeded. But of those that have, many would say "The Hunger Games" franchise has stood out from the rest. Based off the best selling series of the same name, the story follows a young girl named Katniss who has to compete in a fight to the death style tournament meant to please the masses. What has made the series so likable would probably be the lead character Katniss; a strong yet relatable heroin, and one of the best female action characters in years. Since the first installment the series has been a massive success, both critically and financially. Not since "Harry Potter" has a film series taken the world by storm like this one. But with so much momentum it is hard to keep up with expectations; which leads us to the third film in the series, "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1." 

     Shortly after the events of "Catching Fire," Katness and the other rebels have taken refuge in an underground military bunker in the now destroyed district 13. After competing in the games twice, Katniss's mind is all but destroyed. Suffering from night terrors and haunted by the games, she is a shell of her former self. One day she is approached by the president of district 13 who wants her to be the mockingjay, a symbol of hope for the rebels who wish to overthrow the totalitarian government. At first she is apprehensive, but agrees after she sees that her home district had been firebombed and completely wiped out. She did demand that the former games winners would be rescued and pardoned, including Peeta. The rebels then embark on political warfare, in an attempt to gain support and shame the government. Slowly but surely, the people start to rise up alongside them; with some even carrying out terrorist attacks. While she doesn't want to do it, Katniss understands that she is a symbol of hope; and she will do anything to take down the government.

     To my own surprise, the second "Hunger Gamers movie" "Catching Fire" was one of my favorite movies of 2013. It was one of the most exciting movies of the year, and just all around enjoyable. So since I had seen it, I have been excited for its sequel. So going into "Mockingjay-Part 1" I was extremely excited; to be honest though, it didn't quite meet those expectations. Ever since the first film, one thing the series has always done right has been casting. Everyone gives a great performance and really embodies their character, especially Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. At this point, it is hard to imagine anyone else playing that character except for her. Unlike "Catching Fire," this isn't really an action movie, while there are a few cool action scenes its more about political intrigue. The politics or war and the propaganda campaign might actually be the most interesting thing about this movie. I also have to mention the new characters; all of which are all likable and unique. Unfortunately that brings us to the first problem the movie suffers from. There are too many characters doing too many things. The old faces plus the new, there are so many that only Katniss stands out. Several times, some of the best characters in the series only appear for a short while. Haymitch, one of the best characters in the series, is only in like four scenes. And just like one of my problems with "Catching Fire," there are more than a few cheesy lines in the movie that just make you shake your head. But there is one major problem that stands out among the rest; the movie just isn't as exciting as its predecessor. The last half of "Catching Fire" was pure action, while "Mockingjay- Part 1" only has a few action sequences throughout its entire run time. If you’re not a fan of political movies, you might not like this movie at all. This movie is not as good as "Catching Fire," it really is a step backwards for the franchise. For everything it did right it did something wrong; but I'll at least say this, I'm excited for part two. Despite its flaws, the movie serves as a great build up to the finale. Even though this has been a letdown in some ways, it has managed to put "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2" towards the top of my most anticipated list of 2015. 

Pros: Great performances from the cast, some cool action scenes, political intrigue, Jennifer Lawrence is Katness, likable new characters, does a good job as build up to the finale.

Cons: Too many characters doing too many things, suffers from some cheesy lines, not as exciting as its predecessor.

3.5/5 Stars