Review of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014) by Kj P — 18 Nov 2015

Considering the pace of the first two films, you would like think that this third instalment would at least try to keep up, but it sadly falls short in almost every regard. Jennifer Lawrence plays the character of Katniss perfectly once again, and the entire cast around her do their very best, but splitting this book into two films was a very obvious mistake, seeing as there are no real stakes here, until the very end, but then you have to wait for the resolution.

If they wanted to make this film three hours to get the point across, I would be totally okay with that, but there is a bit too much plot for it's own good. More of a political thriller than a hunger games film, "The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay - Part 1" feels like the epitome of a cash grab.

It is not a bad film in any way, it just feels like an unfinished one, and that is what bothers me. It is a very well-written film for what it is, and there are a few very intense and shocking moments, but they do not make up for the padded out story.

I am both extremely excited and scared for the finale, because there is a lot set up in this film and I am not quite sure if they can pull off this conclusion in a two hour film. Overall, It is a well-made set-up but nothing more.

I wish it had the same level of depth that the first two films had. I would say that this instalment is a disappointment, but I kind of got exactly what I expected. "The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay - Part 1" did not sit with me the way I wished it had.

It is definitely worth a watch to see where the story is headed, but it does not screaming multiple-viewings like the first two. Entertaining, well-made, but ultimately unsatisfying.