Have you guys seen Mockingjay: Part 1 yet? It's been out for a while…I recently saw it, and I thought that I would share with you what I thought.
The Acting: I thought that Josh Hutcherson's part in the movie was subtly helpful to the overall feel of the movie. Though it wasn't a large part, and the words coming out of Peeta's mouth were fed to him by the Capital, you could tell that every cell in his body wanted to say the opposite. It really was a dark feeling.
Jennifer Lawrence, as always, was fabulous. The only thing I have to say about her performance is that at the opening of the movie, her discomfort and trauma seemed about over-dramatic. Toned down a bit probably would have been better. On the other hand, I loved the singing Katniss did in the film - it felt very real, communicating from the heart. I knew that it was really Jennifer singing, not lip-syncing, and that her character was in a place of grief and anger, really not caring whether she sounded good or not.
The Special Effects: These were necessary to the plot, for the movies have generally been closely following the book. I think they did their job, but in the ending scene with Peeta being tortured, it looked so fake it was actually almost funny. I'm sure that wasn't the emotion that was meant to be conveyed!
The costumes and set: These were very appropriate and were exactly what any reader of the books would expect, such as the signature tough and clean look of Katniss maintained throughout the films. The injured in the hospital and the barren look of the land was extremely appropriate and very well done.
Overall, I thought Mockingjay: Part 1 was a decent movie, better than Hunger Games, yet not as good as Catching Fire. I appreciated the way it followed the book. I am excited to see Part 2! I give this movie a rating of 8/10.
