Monday 27 July 2015

MPOV: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

After being rescued from the destroyed arena in the 75th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen, along with fellow Victors Beetee and Finnick Odair, are taken to District 13, an independent district isolated from the rest of Panem that has been spearheading the rebellion, where she is reunited with her mother and sister Prim. While recuperating, she is introduced to President Alma Coin, the rebel leader, and is told that her actions in the arena sparked riots and strikes against the Capitol. Coin asks her if she will become the "Mockingjay"—the symbol of the rebellion—as part of their "hearts and minds" strategy. Katniss flatly declines, angrily reminding her that they left Peeta Mellark, her portrayed lover and fellow District 12 tribute, behind in the arena. At the suggestion of Plutarch Heavensbee, the former Gamemaker, she is taken to see the ruins of District 12, which was completely levelled by a Capitol bombing campaign (with the exception of the houses in the Victor's Village). After seeing that Peeta is being used by Capitol state television to quell the rebellion, Katniss reluctantly changes her mind and agrees to become Coin's Mockingjay, on the condition that Peeta and the other victors will be rescued and pardoned at the earliest opportunity, and that her sister, Prim, will be allowed to keep her cat.

After Haymitch notes that Katniss thrives on spontaneity, she is introduced to her film team (led by Capitol escapee Cressida), is dressed up in a specially-designed outfit, and given Effie Trinket as a stylist and close friend Gale as a bodyguard. They go out to District 8 to visit a hospital, but as the visit concludes, a Capitol bombing squadron arrives and bombs the hospital, killing everyone inside. In her rage, Katniss gives a rousing speech to the camera, which is broadcast when Beetee hijacks the Capitol's news feed. After it is broadcast, strikers in District 7 kill an entire team of Peacekeepers with hidden land mines.

After seeing a weakened Peeta on TV the team then go back to District 12, where Gale tells the story of its destruction, and Katniss is filmed singing "The Hanging Tree". After that is broadcast, a rebel demolition team from District 5 destroys the dam providing the Capitol with electricity, forcing them to use power generators and weakening their ability to broadcast their propaganda.

The above taken from Wikipedia.

This movie, for me, was a yawn. After watching the previous Hunger Games, it was a surprised that Katniss became a wooz, a softie and a cry baby. Totally opposite from the previous gung ho, flighty and courageous Katniss. Also, the love triangle between Gale, Katniss and Peeta is becoming a bore for me... I just don't get it. With the lack of action and a very slow plot, it turned out to be lacking the fire, the zest to command the attention span hence overlooking the great costumes and acting skills. Hopefully Part 2 will be much better. 

I was contemplating to buy the novels, a trilogy, by Suzanne Collins. Now I guess I can safely say I'll skip this.

My rating: 2/5
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Casts: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks
Category: a 2014 American science fiction war adventure film

No comments:

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails