A Review by Brenda Daniels
In the first movie in this series (The Hunger Games) viewers were introduced to a terrifying future in which humans, struggling for basic resources, are sent to participate in a macabre game of life and death: the Hunger Games.
In the games Katniss Everdeen, well portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence, comes to the fore as a tough, genuine heroine. At the same time a love triangle is established between Katniss and fellow Hunger Games fighter, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), and childhood friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth).
In the second film, The Hunger Games Catching Fire, the plot thickens when Katniss Everdeen returns to the Hunger Games, and this time uses her fighting skills, not to kill her fellow participants, but to attack the overarching enemy, the Capitol. She does this by shooting and destroying the Hunger Games’ dome. Meanwhile, tension in the love triangle grows.
Unlike the first two films, the third, and highly anticipated The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 is not a complete story. This is because, as the title explains, the full story, based on the third book in the series, has been broken into two parts. And it suffers for it.
Yes, there is a new twist; Peeta has been captured by the Capitol and is forced to speak out against the growing rebellion in the districts. As a result, in the midst of heavy fighting against the Capitol, District 12 launches a mission for his rescue. But this section of a story is not meaty enough to keep audience attention.
The love story too, wears a bit thin, with too many close-ups of Katniss in several chin-wobbling tearful scenes.
In an effort to milk too much from an interesting and unique series, the filmmakers have spoilt what should have been a fitting finale. Ending this film on a “cliffhanger” will not be enough to entice me to see the next (last?) one.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 opens at cinemas in South Africa on Friday 21 November.
An impression of the new Mockingjay – Katniss Everdeen by MartAiConan. Photo: Creative Commons.
This image can also be seen along with the artist’s other paintings at this website.
Josh Hutcherson plays Peeta Mellark in The Hunger Games. Photo (Creative Commons) by Gage Skidmore.
a feast of tales 