Mockingjay - Part 1

Film Title:
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

Director:
Francis Lawrence
Writer:
Peter Craig,
Danny Strong

Starring:
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson

Production Company: Lionsgate, Color Force
Release Date: November 20th 2014 (UK)

The penultimate episode in The Hunger Games franchise has arrived, and it's taken the typically darker turn towards the end, but non-reader audiences might be surprised to find the epic story for survival taking a step back from the action-packed prequels to focus more heavily on the consequences. It's the best Hunger Games film yet, but I can't help but feel the rawness and reasonably graphic portrayals of war in a dialogue-filled film is a little unfair for the 12A audience.

After finding out her every move has been planned to fit in with a plot to overthrow the Capitol, Katniss (Lawrence) is faced with the role of becoming the symbol of rebellion. But with Peeta (Hutcherson) in the hands of the enemy and her experiences in the Games taking their toll, it takes a visit to the ruins of District 12 for her to understand her importance, and take on the responsibility. With all-round great acting to overcome the issues of a fairly non-progressive plot line focused on the protagonist, fans might feel loved characters such as Johanna (Malone) and Finnick (Claflin) are robbed of their screen time, although Effie (Banks) and Haymitch (Harrelson) are key for the comic relief in an otherwise bleak reality.

The success of these films has been phenomenal, with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) hitting the No. 1 opening weekend intake of 2013. But projections for Mockingjay - Part 1 are falling lower than expected, perhaps due to book fans aware of the dwindling action of the series - but Lawrence and the team have done a brilliant job of adapting the final novel into a more thrilling and suitable story for the big screen. Teenage girls might be disappointed by the lack of lip-lock, but there's no fear of the creators patronising their blockbuster audience when it comes to the nit and gritty fall out of Katniss' previous escapades. The Games are over, but the fight is only just beginning.

Watch the trailer for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 on YouTube.