All You Gotta Do ... Is Believe!

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014)

A Review By Ben Hunter

4½ Out Of 5 Stars

GET TO THE POINT BEN!

So suspenseful, eerie, and extremely enticing that my emotions needed a breather afterwards!

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The arrow … the strike … the rebellion!  Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) at the very end of the last installment Catching Fire had had enough of being controlled by The Capitol and stumbled into the rebellion, with “the arrow”, her arrow, and learned that she is not alone.  Not alone to be controlled with … “The Hunger Games”!

Katniss is the clear choice to be the leader of the rebellion, helmed by President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) and Plutarch Heavnensbee (the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman).  After some reluctance and negotiation regarding the safety of her family and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) who the latter of which is under mind manipulation from The Capitol, Katniss concedes.  Upon doing so, she becomes the face of what’s coming to the established order.  She becomes a symbol of hope, even more recognizable than what her actions thus far have made her.  She alone becomes the first image thought of when “possibility” for change of these God forsaken circumstances the lower class dread.  She becomes what every district in poverty dream of, “sticking it to the man” or the system and establishment they never agreed to live under.  She becomes “The Mockingjay”! 

“Finally!”  I said, “I’m onboard now!”  When that arrow struck and became the defiance towards The Capitol, forcefully yet gently ran by President Snow (Donald Sutherland).  So Mockingjay 1 only added to such excitement.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time!  As the pieces of the story slowly built upon themselves and came together, I couldn’t wait to find out what was next, and then all of a sudden those 2 hours were over already.  That’s how you know you’ve got a good one on your hands!

When Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) describes how everything Katniss does was out of spontaneity and out of the purity and passion in her heart, we see more into her character.  For it’s right after this that we discover how Katniss is such a character that acts on what she believes in, and when she’s in a state of sentiment of such devotion, there is just no stopping her. 

But not if The Capitol has something to say about it!  Which is why I was on the edge the entire time!  With hardly any action in this entire action film, it felt like an action packed, 2 hour saga that kept me intrigued in its entirety.  It was so suspenseful, intriguing, extremely eerie, and enticing!  I had to put my popcorn down for a moment and completely surrender my focus.  If the ending weren’t so abrupt, I would’ve given this story a perfect rating.  For I simply loved it! 

Are you coming to the tree?  Start watching this series if you haven’t already and lift your symbol of hope with the rest of us, and remind yourself that belief is all it takes for change! 

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

Action/Adventure/Science Fiction, 123 Minutes, PG-13

Based on the Novel “Mockingjay” and Adaptation by: Suzanne Collins

Screenplay by: Peter Craig and Danny Strong

Directed by: Francis Lawrence

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks, Jena Malone, Mahershala Ali, & Stanley Tucci