Jennifer Lawrence
Josh Hutcherson
Liam Hemsworth
Woody Harrelson
Sam Claflin
Elizabeth Banks
Julianne Moore
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Stanley Tucci
Donald Sutherland

Danny Strong
Peter Craig

123 mins.
Adventure, Sci-Fi
November 21, 2014

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images and thematic material. (MPAA)

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” is a film that’s out to get your money. Period. It’s an unnecessary place holder in the film series, which is based on the fantastic book series by Suzanne Collins, and it adds little to the previous two films. It’s not terrible, though. (That’s not a compliment.) It’s simply a bridge that provides background information for the series finale. Why didn’t they just make one film out of the last installment in the book trilogy? Money.

First, there’s no through line. Each scene seems to stand on its own without providing any momentum for the next scene. It’s episodic without meaning to be.

Second, it’s hard to invest in the characters as a result of that lack of momentum. I’ve always felt that I was at a distance when watching all of the films in this series, but never more so than when watching this one. As a result, every time that Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss cries, it has no impact. There’s too much crying and not enough urgency, an annoying combination. Just get on with it. At times, I was so disconnected that I focused on the set design, of all things. Did the rubble look real to you, or did it look like a set?

Third, where’s the sizzle? Without the actual games themselves, this third film of the series is exposed. Since they can’t hide behind the inherently compelling nature of the games in this film, the writing and pacing must do the work all by themselves. They didn’t find a way to make the events on display seem worthy of a standalone film. As a result, this film seems like exactly what it is, a part of a whole.

Fourth, the cast of actors is wasted here. Elizabeth Banks, as Effie Trinket (Katniss’s former chaperone and current stylist), is one of the few who manage to shine through the lack of substance in the script. She gives the film some life. This is partly due to the nature of her character, who would stand out regardless, but also due to Banks’ acting. She deserves a ton of credit. But she wasn’t used enough. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Jeffrey Wright, and, especially, Woody Harrelson, should’ve been given much more to do. Why hire these actors at all? As for Lawrence, I’m no longer a fan. She’s not bad, but she seems to be coasting instead of improving. She’s too comfortable as an actress. She needs to go deeper.

I hope that the next and final film in this series brings the urgency back. It might; there’s enough of a story left to support that. Regardless, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” is a shameless attempt to take people’s money. It’s a stain on the series. With this film, they’re just treading water.

Verdict: Whatever

About: (Source: mockingjay1)

Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived. She awakens from the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell deep inside the bunkered catacombs of District 13. Separated from some of her closest allies and fearing for their safety in the Capitol, Katniss finally agrees to be the Mockingjay, the symbolic leader of the rebellion. Still uncertain as to whom she can trust, Katniss must help 13 rise from the shadows, all the while knowing that President Snow has focused his hatred into a personal vendetta against her—and her loved ones.