Total Pageviews

Monday 24 November 2014

The Hunger Games, Mockingjay Part 1 review: Selling a revolution

As one of the most anticipated films of the year, the third installment in the unstoppable Hunger Games franchise packs a sharper and more intelligent punch than its predecessors, but suffers from the anticipation of the series's climax. While this self-aware media satire spends too long marketing a revolution that never really takes place, a typically indomitable performance from Jennifer Lawrence and some superb supporting roles help make Mockingjay Part 1 a solid entry in the biggest series around.


The Hunger Games has been driven underground, and the grey coldness of District 13 reflects on the film itself; this a darker and more tense picture far from the colour soaked cornucopias of old. Despite its setting in a dystopian future America, the film plays to relevant themes of the power of the media and advertising in its depiction of a revolution about to explode; much of the movie deals with the propaganda sparring between the rebels and the authoritarian Capitol. It's no exaggeration to say that the signature mockingjay pin has become an icon in pop culture, and director Francis Lawrence exploits this to the full by placing a sharp focus on the rebels' attempts to use the symbol to drum up support for their cause. It's a smart choice that's both aware of the current political climate and also aware of itself; that the rebel's propaganda videos share the look and tone of the film's trailer is no gimmick; the film is all the more authentic for such subtle touches. Lawrence is outstanding in a role of contradictions she's honed to perfection over her two years of playing Katniss, both unapproachably prickly and at times deeply moving. Her deliberate woodenness as she's coerced into starring in revolutionary propaganda clad in a Joan of Arc breastplate is a joy to behold and one of the film's best moments. As Effie Trinket squeals,"They'll either want to kill you, kiss you or be you".

Elizabeth Bank's wonderfully comic Effie is just one of several stellar supporting performances, with Woody Harrelson playing a more compassionate, if underused Haymitch and Donald Sutherland as the delightfully evil President Snow. The undisputed star of the supporting case though is the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as ex-gamesmaker Plutarch Heavensbee, a wonderful performance of deft mannerisms and soft wit. Quite how his untimely death will be accounted for in the final film remains to be seen, but he will certainly be missed. It's not all perfect however; fan's won't be pleased with revolutionary leader Coin becoming a lukewarm shadow of her brilliantly detestable role in the novel through the miscasting of  the usually fantastic Julianne Moore. And for all the inventive brilliance of the film's media portrayal, the decision to split the final book into two parts leads to a wildly inconsistent pace that makes a mockery of the movie's tone. The lack of the games themselves also leads to an increased demand for action which is never really satisfied; a few dramatic set pieces don't quite managed to fill the gap. While the two-film structure allows for a tremendous level of detail, it does nothing for the entertainment value of Part 1; too often it feels like a mere build up to next year's Part 2.

It's pace may stumble and it's all in anticipation of Part 2, but this clever satire, with its high level of detail and excellent cast performances, is a worthy third effort in The Hunger Games franchise.

7/10

No comments:

Post a Comment