I was, and continue to be, disturbed by the premise of the first Hunger Games movie (I’ve not read the books) in which teenagers and children are forced to hunt and kill other teenagers and children as a form of futuristic entertainment.  The concept still appalls and confuses me (what does the Capitol gain from such barbarity?), yet the series has moved well beyond that.  It is now a social revolution, with the circle of thirteen districts unifying against the tyrannical central Capitol, led by the young and beautiful Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), the most reluctant of heroines.  This change of direction places the final two-part chapter of the trilogy, Mockingjay, firmly in the tradition of dystopian science fiction stories, a tradition for which I have great respect and admiration.

It must be that author Suzanne Collins simply utilized the “Games” concept as a hook to lure readers (and now, movie audiences) into her vision of a corrupt society of the future which must be corroded and destroyed from the inside.  That such a revolution would need as its face someone who had survived the awful barbarity of the Games and became beloved by the masses for doing so.  That the Games themselves would form a flashpoint for the revolution to spark and flame into being, thus turning the Capitol’s annual premier event into the very vehicle of its own unraveling.  The books assuredly explain this better than I, but I’m just coming to these conclusions.

The point is that even while I had severe misgivings about the premise, these films have proven to be generally well staged, increasingly powerful indictments regarding abuse of power and oppression of the masses.  Each film has been better than the last, and this third adventure, directed by Francis Lawrence (no relation to Jennifer) is very well produced.  Katniss now has a noble purpose to pursue, and a host of interesting characters around her (enacted by Liam Hemsworth, Jeffrey Wright, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Sam Claflin, Mahershala Ali, Willow Shields and Josh Hutcherson, among others, plus a cat) to help her carry through.

Mockingjay Part 1 is very well acted, soberly presented and inspiring at all the right moments.  It has a few surprises, too, so it isn’t all formulaic and obvious.  It is a bit talky, but the scope of the story has widened to reveal the importance of a symbolic figure to lead the rebellion against villainous President Snow (Donald Sutherland). The presence of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch adds a great deal of poignancy to the proceedings.  It doesn’t hurt the film to have Hollywood’s hottest, Oscar-winning actress as one’s heroine, either.  I am thoroughly impressed with Mockingjay Part 1 and am eagerly looking forward to the concluding chapter next autumn.  ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2.  9 December 2014.