Friday, November 21, 2014

Book-to-Movie Review: Mockingjay Part 1


The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1

book by Suzanne Collins

When Katniss destroys the games, she goes to District 13 after District 12 is destroyed. She meets President Coin who convinces her to be the symbol of rebellion, while trying to save Peeta from the Capitol.

IMDb, you continue to fail with these synopses. 

My review of the Catching Fire movie. 

As you can see in the above review, Catching Fire was pretty much unbeatable on every front. Lucky for me, I wasn't holding out for better than the second movie, but rather a REALLY GOOD ADAPTATION of what Mockingjay as an individual book and the series as a whole was all about. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.

However if you didn't like the book you won't like this movie (I'm basing this on friends). I thought Mockingjay was truly a perfect conclusion to the trilogy- full circle (Prim's death, Coin's suggestion of a new Hunger Games). Therefore, I found the film to be a real success.

Just like in the first two movies, this one stays close to the book not only in dialogue and events, but in TONE AND FEEL. You experience everything Katniss feels right along with her. You can especially see this in the scene with the rescue mission for Peeta (a welcome addition that wasn't in the novel)- you're worried sick for BOTH Gale and Peeta, and at the same time listening to Finnick tell his story and absolutely destroying your heart. You're jumpy just like she is- the cat makes a little noise and the whole crowd got a heart attack. 

I missed Cinna and loved Prim. 

Effie and Haymitch. I actually applauded when they FINALLY got on screen. (quietly. Relax, I remembered I was in a theater) If nothing else, they are the reason I watch these films. 

The acting was SUPERB. I was peering through my fingers from fear in the scene where Peeta attacks. And Jennifer Lawrence gave me chills with her lines REPEATEDLY.
Mockingjay Part 1 was not a feast for the eyes the way Catching Fire was (in regards to the gorgeous shots) but it touched my soul in the way the book did and the previous movies didn't- the sirens, the bombings, the wounded, the bodies, the chilling shots of massacres and singing of The Hanging Tree (dear god that one is going to play in people's nightmares for a long time). Everything was so real and realistic. 

Amazing work, people. Now please hurry along Part 2. A year is too long a wait for me. 

Rating: 
Happy weekend!
Love,
Esty

1 comment:

  1. Great review. I really loved this movie as well, and that's coming from someone who wasn't a big fan of the book. I thought the book was okay but it was held back by being from Katniss's perspective. She missed out on all of the action, so it was nice to still get to see that in the film. The Peeta rescue scene was amazing! I don't know how we're expected to wait a whole year for Part 2!

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