Yes. I'm well aware how long it's been since i've written a review. I'm just gonna quote Don Cheadle's thinly veiled reference to replacing Terrence Howard as Rhodey in Iron Man 2. "It's me. I'm here. Deal with it. Let's move on." I do apologize, I've been very busy between school and Flick Check and life in between.
For my consistent readers and viewers, you'll remember that I greatly enjoyed Catching Fire. Despite that, I've never had any discernible amount of enthusiasm for The Hunger Games franchise. It's well made, it's just not my personal preference. That being said, I sat down to Mockingjay with high expectations, but not expecting a new favorite movie. Rest easy, Raiders of the Lost Ark is safe. Because, pun not intended, Mockingjay never really gets off the ground.
Taking place after the explosive conclusion to Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen is in the elusive District 13 amongst a faction that is rebelling against the Capital. The heads of the movement want her to become the symbol of their cause, but Katniss is only concerned for the life of Peeta Mallark who is in the hands of the Capital as their own propaganda tool.
Politically, this film takes on ambitions that it only partially tries to justify. There is certainly something interesting about taking a camera crew into the battlefield in order to rally the troops and it gives Jennifer Lawrence one of few opportunities in this movie to showcase the raw emotion that won her an Oscar two years ago. But it's quite frankly not an idea that hasn't been seen before. And not even one unique this year considering the backstory of Tom Cruise's character in Edge of Tomorrow (don't you dare tell me it's called Live. Die. Repeat.) THAT was much more interesting.
This is something you will hear a lot, but that's just because it's the truth. There is no reason other than extending Lionsgate's profit margins that this film should have been made into two separate parts. The momentum in this film builds up to a climax that isn't coming for another 12 months, and there is a very bland and poor substitute to put one in this film. For a film that surrounds a full scale rebellion, there are very few stakes. One doesn't really feel the tension, and it's what leaves you with a sense of boredom.
Acting wise, I can't really complain. Jennifer Lawrence is given very little to actually work with in this film, but she does what she can with the material.
I do feel the need to criticize Katniss' logic. If you accept the weak premise that the characters are in a full on civil war, I fail to see why Katniss puts the concern for Peeta so high on her list considering the facts that she is needed to free an entire nation, not to mention the fact that she already has a boyfriend who doesn't have any visible character flaws. I understand that she does care for him, but there is so much more at stake than just a solitary hostage. Sure, she has conflicted feelings, but in war, there is always sacrifice. I strongly resisted the urge to stand up in the theater and shout that infamous Spock line: "THE NEEDS OF THE MANY OUTWEIGH THE NEEDS OF THE FEW OR THE ONE." I can only hope that this is rectified in the finale.
I am quite happy that they finally found something to do with Liam Hemsworth. Frankly, he felt very tertiary in the previous films.
For one of his final roles, Philip Seymour Hoffman shows us exactly why he so talented with his multi-layered performance and shows the true intentions that he had hidden the first time around.
Side note: This movie completely ripped off a scene from the original Alien. "Thought we wouldn't notice. But we did." And Sigourney Weaver made it seem much cooler 35 years ago.
Mockingjay has great performances, but it doesn't really provide any outlets for them. I'm sure that the next film will be better, but there is no way to characterize this film other than a filler episode.
C+
Rest in Peace Philip Seymour Hoffman
