So here we are! The hugely anticipated final film of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger...oops.
So here we are! The hugely anticipated almost final film of Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games series. If I seem a bit jaded about this very cynical money grab, then you would be correct in your assumption. It annoys me how blatant this is, to get our money. But, that said, this movie is worth seeing.
We now join Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she deals with the after-effects of the Quarter Quell. She has nightmares just about every night, but the revolution has begun. The problem is that it is still in a fragile state and can be snuffed out quickly. So the leaders of the revolution, President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) and Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman in his final role) ask her to become the face of the revolution in a series of propaganda films to steel people's resolve and fan the flames of the nascent insurgency. But this would not be a story if Katniss wasn't difficult, so she hems and haws until she can't ignore it any longer. But Katniss being Katniss, she agrees to do it for selfless reasons. She insists that the insurgents save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and the other Tributes who have been taken by the Government and are being used for its own nefarious ends. That's pretty much it. Outside of the on again-off again love(?) relationship with Gale (Liam Hemsworth) which is still going on, and Katniss being the ever-changing tease who cannot make up her mind, not much else happens. I guess we will have to wait until NEXT year before we find out.
Two things I really liked about this particular installment despite the griping I've already done. Our new golden age of TV is beginning to teach the movies a lesson they forgot awhile ago. That is, story actually does matter. No matter how much pomp and circumstance you put in a film, it falls flat without a good story and characterizations. (See Star Wars Episodes 1-3 on how NOT to do this) There is value to taking a break from all the action and catch our breaths for a moment. These intimate moments matter because we have to relate to the protagonist in any situation. That is what good storytelling is. We must be emotionally invested in the story, not some detached observers to the events. The emotional connection is key. It used to be TV was the bastard stepchild of movies, and if you were a movie actor who had to work TV, it was a demotion, a sign your career was in trouble. It is now almost the opposite. A-List stars are now beginning to work TV because it is so good. Shows like The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, True Detective, The Shield, Justified, Sons of Anarchy, even American Horror Story are showing what great storytelling can do, and I hope Hollywood moviemakers are being shocked out of their complacency. If Mockingjay is any indication, it seems they are. The movie has some great action pieces, no doubt, but it relies on Jennifer Lawrence to deliver the goods (which she does) to make us care about Katniss. There are scenes of internal conflict with her that really resonate and save this movie from its somewhat simplistic plot. Kudos to her. It is easy to see why she is an Oscar winner at such a young age. Despite the stellar cast, the movie fails without her performance. She doesn't phone it in, which she could easily do with this.
The second thing I liked was the exploration of the motives behind revolutions, especially their leaders. Just how real are they? It is not a secret that propaganda is vital in times of stress, which we in the US seem to recoil from in these times. In an increasingly interconnected world, it is easier and easier to put out a message, especially against a much stronger foe. The astonishing success ISIL has had in recent months in recruitment from western countries with young people who grew up there is proof of this. And while it is important to be able to defend yourself militarily, unless you are willing to wipe everybody out, the only way to fight an idea is with another idea. The pen is mightier than the sword and all that. Mockingjay speaks to the absolute importance of propaganda and at the same time criticizes its artifice. Just how real are the leaders of any movement? Are they cynically exploiting the ideals of others to get their way, or is it necessary to, in all respects, lie to your followers (or at least creatively bend facts) to get them to do what you need them to do? The movie argues otherwise, but it is an interesting point to explore. I, for one, enjoyed this little rabbit hole. On a fun side note, there is a cute mini-acting class when Katniss does her first propaganda ad. The different ways Lawrence delivers the lines is fun to watch and shows you how good actors can make the difference between stirring and blasé.
Overall, this movie is great and I cannot wait for the next one. I would recommend it to anybody, but definitely watch the first two fbefore you see this film or you will be lost.
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