Number three in the Hunger Games trilogy came out in theaters Nov. 21 and has been on the minds of many, for it is the second to last movie in this captivating series.
Most would start by comparing the Mockingjay movie to the book, but I have disconnected them both and see each as their own piece of work because I find comparing movies and books is a recipe for disaster.
Despite this detachment, though, I don’t agree with the choice to split the book and make a two-part movie out of it. There wasn’t enough juice or content for there to be two movies, which is why I believe Mockingjay Part I lacked in affectively grabbing interest. Of course, any lover of the books and/or the past movies is going to watch, but I can’t see anyone who enjoyed the first two, fully enjoying this one.
Throughout the entire film, I felt like “what next?” I kept wanting to see the action. Not to say that there weren’t emotional and alluring parts, but there wasn’t enough power in the sense that the preceding movies had.
The most refreshing part of the movie was the beautiful cinematography. Just when I thought special effects couldn’t get any better, Mockingjay Part I proves otherwise. I felt like District 13 was a real and that I could drive up the street and see. When Katniss Everdeen visited District 12 and saw the rubble that was left, it was breathtaking.
There were some parts, which I found odd, throughout the movie that were quite shaky, to the point where it made me feel a little dizzy; these parts were few, though, and went away fairly quickly. They just made the film seem somewhat thrown together or amateur; if Katniss is running, viewers don’t need to feel like the cameraman was running with her —it was as if I was watching The Blair Witch Project at times.
Of course the acting was as striking as it always is. The movie included many great actors, which was especially seen during some of the more heart-wrenching parts, that essentially made the film more bearable.
It was overall a slow-paced movie that didn’t live up to the first two in the Hunger Games series, yet it was intriguing enough to keep you watching. I was engaged, but I wouldn’t ever go back to the theatre to see it again, though I wouldn’t mind getting it on DVD as a gift.
By Renata Williams
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PkkHsuMrho”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ASUImTedo[/youtube]