Even though we all know the plot line, “Mockingjay – Part 1” still manages to bring shock and awe, between dark scenes of mass destruction and the emotional, dynamic changes in beloved characters.
Jennifer Lawrence stuns again as Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire. The audience sees a different side of Katniss with the incredible despair she faces between the mass murder of her district to seeing Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson, slowly tortured by the Capitol. Lawrence excels at acting out the ebb and flow of being both a rock-solid warrior and a confused, lonely young girl.
In one scene, Lawrence pretends to be bad at acting and is convincing. It seems it takes a really good actress to pull off bad acting. Katniss had to rehearse a scene for District 13’s propaganda videos, or “propos,” and was terrible in front of the camera. We’re convinced Lawrence can act even when her character can’t.
Prim Everdeen, played by Willow Shields, also makes a dynamic change for her new role as “healer” in District 13. Rather than the frightened Prim the audience sees as she is called for the 74th Annual Hunger Games in the first movie, she is strong, brave and keeps Katniss centered and focused in this one.
Seeing Peeta emaciated is even worse than the book described and manages to surprise the audience even though we all know it’s coming. Seeing Peeta deteriorate over time on the Capitol’s newsfeed is too much for both Katniss and Peeta fans.
The biggest surprise – and change – of the movie is with Effie Trinket, played by Elizabeth Banks. Effie surprises the die-hard book series fans since she was not in the first part of the “Mockingjay” book. Whereas in the book, Trinket is thought to be imprisoned in the Capitol, in the movie, the highly stylized victors’ escort is a refugee living in District 13. According to an MTV article, director Francis Lawrence and producer Nina Jacobsen made the decision to include the character.
Although usually changing the plot line, adding and removing characters will fail, the inclusion of Effie succeeds. Effie brings humor to an otherwise dim circumstance with her jokes of having to wear District 13 garb and not having access to her lavish wigs.
New characters to the series, although actually in the book, are members of the camera crew that follows Katniss around to film propos. Natalie Dormer, who plays Cressida, the director of the camera crew, is known most for her role as Margaery Tyrell from “Game of Thrones.” Dormer fits well into the Panem scene with a shaved head and intense focus.
Finally, another one of the new characters to the movie series, President Coin, played by Julianne Moore, keeps the audience, Katniss and the future of Panem on their toes. Coin is on the border of chilling and trustworthy during the beginning of the movie. Kudos to Moore, who usually plays more kind and motherly roles, for pulling off a cold, psuedo-villian.
Due to the incredible character development and delivery in the film, I rate “Mockingjay – Part 1” four out of five President Jon Wallace heads. The only reasons it didn’t get a fifth are the film’s dark nature and that its ending lacks hope.