The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 1

"It's the things we love most that destroy us."

I has been three years in the making and we only have one more year left before the Hunger Games movies end and Katniss Everden's story has finally and completely been told. Like most of the franchises today that are based on a book series; The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is the first of the two part series that took the final novel and split it into two. While I do understand that from a corporation point... this was purely a money making scheme; I love that they did this because this allowed the screen writers and the producers to take the novel and really tell the story well.

It has been about a year since I have read this novel, but from what I remember, this movie followed the book almost to the word. There were many things that they took from the books word for word which is always a good thing. Mockingjay was never my favorite book in the series. I always found it to be confusing and boring. That being said, thinking about this chapter in Katniss's story, I may have to rethink my position on this book. 

Mockingjay picks up right where Catching Fire left off. Katniss and the rest of District 12 have taken refuge in the secret underground District 13. Katniss is trying to heal mentally and District 13 is trying to make her the face of a revolution. They want to use her to inspire all of Panam to rally behind them and turn against the capital. Katniss becomes angry when she learns that Peeta and the other tributes where taken by the capital and there is not much known about their fate at the time. 

Katniss has become another pawn. This time rather then being used by the capital to keep peace. She is being used by District 13 to inspire an uprising. I thought that the juxtaposition between this movie and the first one was done in a wonderful manner.Once again, Katniss enters this game in an effort to save someone near and dear to her heart. This time she is trying to save Peeta and the other tributes. She entered the 74th hunger games in an effort to protect the life of her sister. She intended to decline the role of the Mockingjay, until she realized that she could use the position in a away that would allow her to keep the people she loved most safe. That was all that Katniss ever wanted, those around her to be safe. I found that the entire story could be summed put beautifully when President Snow says, "It's the things we love most that destroy us." It is the things that Katniss love that causes her the most pain. The reason she entered the games, the reason that she never wanted to truly hurt Gale, the reason that she could not see Peeta suffer, the sole reason she began the Mockingjay-all of these things steam from love. It is also love that causes a major change in Peeta and what causes him to turn on her. It is important to remember that love and hate can be so closely related that many times they cannot be separated. 

One of the most powerful scenes is when the President of District 13, Julianne Moore, is addressing the people of District 13. She is talking about the Mockingjay and of Katniss. The President calls her out to be shown in front of the people and raises her hand in the air as the people cheer. This is exactly what happens to Katniss at the reaping when before she heads to the capital to take part in the games. I thought that this was a very telling moment and showed the audience that Katniss is STILL in the games and the stakes are even higher now. 

I thought that this part of the story really focused on Katniss trying to find herself. She was still trying to find her voice. I believe that it is in these pages (moments in the movie) that she begins to realize that she has a voice and she can make a difference. One of my favorite quotes, "The only necessary thing for the triumph of evil is that the good people do nothing," popped into my head about halfway through the movie. Katniss has never thought very highly of herself. She has been acting on the sole purpose of protecting the people that she loves. She has not realized that she has a great power to unit a nation and the change the things that are wrong with the world. There had been many moments through the earlier novels in which she really thought about leaving and hiding and just staying low and out of the way of the capital. It is here that she begins to see the power that she has to change the world. As scary as it is, she needs to find her voice. She struggles in the beginning when she is being told what to say in the promos. Katniss shines when she can just be herself. 

Mockingjay: Part 1 did a wonderful job of setting up the final chapters in the story. The next movie will be a wonderful and heart wrenching journey into the center of the capital, but it will be with a stronger and more sure of herself Katniss. It will be with a Katniss who sees who she is, what power she holds, and one who begins to understand that sometimes there are things that are bigger than yourself that you are a part of. 

If you are a fan of the books, you will be very happy with what they have done with this movies. It was a great adaption. I recommend taking a trip down to District 13 and become part of the revolution!

The Hunger Games

Books that become movies.....the thing that takes on my biggest scrutiny in the wide world of cinema these days. I was especially concerned when I read about a year ago that they would be taking the fantastic teen novel, The Hunger Games, and placing it onto the big screen. I read all three of the books in this series about a year and a half ago, and I only have good things to say about them. I recommend them to everyone that I know. Suzanne Collins created such related and lovable characters that it was hard not to be sucked into the world of Panem and its 12 Districts.The basic story line of The Hunger Games, is every year each of the 12 Districts will select at random a boy and girl ages 12-18 years old to represent their District in the annual Hunger Games. This places all 24 of the young boys and girls into a predesigned and very intricate arena in order to fight to the death. The winner will receive extra food and oil for an entire year for their District. Katniss Everdeen's younger sister has been chosen, and in order to spare her from entering the arena, Katniss volunteered to go instead. Her and Peeta Mellark are the to tributes that represent District 12 at the 74th annual Hunger Games.
I thought that the screen writing was pretty good, and that is attributed to the fact that the Suzanne Collins was involved with the writing of the screen play. It is always better when an author is a part of the screen writing process. They are there to help make sure that no major details are left out, and the emphasis is in all to right places. There where only two complaints that I had, and that was with the mockingjay pin. How Katniss gets the pin in movie is much different from in the novel. In the novel, the major of District 12's daughter gives her the pin. It is a true token from her District. The other complaint I had was that in the movie, Cinna, her fashion designer, places the pin in a hidden place before she enters the arena. In the novel, she is able to wear a token from her District and it is out for all of Panem to see. This becomes important in the later novels.
I found that the acting choices for the characters to be good ones. I was very apprehensive at first with Jenniner Lawerance at Katniss, but after viewing the film for a second time, I really thought that she did a pretty good job. Woody Harrelson could not have been a better choice for the drunkard Haymitch, although I would have liked to have seen him drinking a little bit more. Josh Hutcherson did a wonderful job as the quiet and baker Peeta. Elizabeth Banks surprised me with her portrayal of Effie Trinket. She couldn't have done a better job. The only thing that I was not happy actor wise, was Lenny Kravitz as Cinna. Cinna is slightly more flamboyant in the novel. While he comes from the capital, he still wears bright and amazing stuff, but he is toned down. Lenny Kravitz toned him down so much that he was in all black. I thought that took away a bit from Cinna.  Amandla Stenberg captured the essence of Rue beautifully. I would have loved to have seen more of her.
Talking to many people about these novels, they really became bothered by the fact that this was children fighting to the death while people stood by and watched as entertainment. After reading all of the novels and watching the movie twice, I feel that there is really more to it than a bloody battle. I felt that the first of these novels was really a commentary on the ideas of change. This is a terrible thing that many people in the world of  Panem disagree with, but for 74 years nobody has risen against the capital because of what happened as a result of the last rebellion. They live in a state of fear. These novels showed that it only takes one person to stand up for what they believe is the right thing to do, one person to stand tall when others were so afraid. Katniss is the girl that had the guts to stand tall when everyone else was so afraid to. This is enough to empower those who are frightened. That is the true message of the Hunger Games.  (I have always been a sucker for these kinds of stories)
Watch. Enjoy. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."