The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1

"The Hunger Games" needs no introduction. The first two films, "The Hunger Games" (2012) and "Catching Fire" (2013) sit happily in the top 15 box office takes of all time. They've also spawned a dozen other, less successful "empowered teen girl dystopia" franchises. "Mockingjay Part 1" is the first film in the franchise to really show what makes the franchise so special, launching the characters into the heart of a war movie where black and white are gone; human nature, and the ways we use, abuse, love and care for each other play out against the backdrop of all-out civil war. It's the best movie of the franchise.

"Mockingjay" starts where "Catching Fire" left off, with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) rescued from the most recent Games by the rebellion against evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland). District 13, the long-lost military science district of the authoritarian country Panem, is leading an underground (literally, they live in giant caves) resistance movement, and they want Katniss' genuine ability to inspire as their face. Newcomer Julianne Moore plays President Coin, the questionable leader of the resistance, while returning favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman plays Heavensbee, now the P.R. leader of the resistance. Katniss agrees to work for the resistance only if they rescue her on-again-off-again lover, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) from the clutches of the Capitol. One problem: He's been turned into the Capitol's propaganda tool.

Katniss has remained a popular character because she's a proactive protagonist. The series has always dabbled in commentary on social inequality, contemporary media and the teenage experience. But she's not a superhero; you can't plug and play Katniss into another story like, say, Spider-man. The benefit of "Mockingjay," then, is that at last the chips of Katniss' story are down. We start to see the shape of the "Hunger Games" saga, and it's dark and substantial. Unlike similar series, or the first two films to an extent, the world doesn't revolve around Katniss. She's just a participant, sometimes tool in a war between powers far greater than her. Without the world on her shoulders, Katniss' choices and decisions become more personal, and that much more tragic when she fails.

A lot of commentary has focused on Lionsgate's decision to split "Mockingjay" into two movies. Rightly so. In the case of the "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "Hobbit" series, it creates one film in the series that exists entirely as exposition for the subsequent release. I was surprised to find that "Mockingjay Part 1," although heavy on the exposition, feels like a necessary transition from the fantasy of the first two films and the proposed turmoil of the conclusion.

Unlike the first two films, "Mockingjay" also benefits from a run time of around two hours, about a half-hour less than its predecessors. Both "Hunger Games" and 'Catching Fire" felt long in the tooth, indulgent for the sake of pleasing fans who might be displeased by certain details left on the editing room floor. "Mockingjay" feels taut and exciting, with very few moments of questionable editing. It uses every minute it needs and nothing more. It doesn't overstay its welcome.

Of course, this is still a "Hunger Games" movie, which means the script sometimes operates with an almost inspiring lack of subtlety. During the first act, characters speak exactly what they feel or tell the audience precisely what's happening in the story. One conversation in particular, early on, recaps the entire first two films.

Those are minor quibbles. For every blunt line of dialogue, you also have one of the finest actors in cinema delivering it with the conviction of someone who believes in their role. Lawrence's ability goes without saying, but even Hutcherson and Hemsworth, previously characters who existed largely within the context of Katniss, get a lot of development with which to play. Woody Harrelson (Katniss' trainer) and Elizabeth Banks have lesser roles than in the previous films, but stand out more because of it. Last but not least, Sutherland is finally given the chance to be truly terrifying, a Palpatine-level threat to our heroes. The most rewarding aspects of "Mockingjay" come from seeing a world and its characters mature and change.

"Mockingjay Part 1" is a course-correct for the series. It replaces the more fantastical elements of the first films with a darker, more brooding tone, with a focus on character development. The writers found a decent climax that works as a good ending to the journey in Part 1, while still leaving the larger story threads open for a proper conclusion in Part 2. If you're a fan of the series, there's a lot to love about "Mockingjay." If you saw the first two films and weren't impressed, I'd still give "Mockingjay Part 1" a fair shake. It's a good one.