The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part One

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Bryan, Dec 19, 2014.

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  1. Bryan

    Bryan Starman Jr. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    I did a search and couldn't find a thread. A little late on this.

    This film had to be the most blatant example of splitting a movie into two parts for purely financial reasons that I've yet to see (even more than The Hobbit films).

    At the end of the film I felt like almost nothing had happened! Really disappointing, because while I was fairly lukewarm about the first film, I thought the second one was quite good.

    I think Katniss literally shot a single arrow (maybe two?) during the entire movie! Not saying it has to be pure action, but it just felt like two hours of drawn-out setup with no real payoff.

    Do yourself a favor and skip Mockingjay Part One until Part Two comes out, then watch them back-to-back.
     
  2. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    I thought it was sloooooow! I thought the first flick was decent to good, but I liked "CF" quite a lot - it was pretty entertaining.

    "Mockingjay I" just left me bored. It felt like this was the whole movie:

    Katniss: Peeta's dead!
    Katniss: Peeta's not dead?
    Katniss: Where's Peeta?
    Katniss: Where's Peeta?
    Katniss: Where's Peeta?
    Katniss: They found Peeta!
    Katniss: They rescued Peeta!
    Katniss: Oy, Peeta's screwed up!


    Two hours of Jennifer Lawrence pouting does not a movie make! :laugh:
     
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  3. jojopuppyfish

    jojopuppyfish Senior Member

    Location:
    Maryland
    I liked the first two films.
    Mockingjay, Part one -I walked out on this film.....haven't done that in 20 years.
    Incredibly boring.
     
  4. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    Mockingjay had a pretty convoluted plot that I think would have been hard to stuff into one movie.... I think when you see the second movie you'll see why it would have been difficult. However, there's no question this didn't work very well as a standalone installment. They should have at least released them closer together -- it's not like they have yet to shoot the second half.

    Yup. And it had such a negative effect on her heretofore strong character -- her single minded focus on Peeta made her seem weak and teenagery.
     
  5. Bryan

    Bryan Starman Jr. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    I was thinking something along the same lines. The first two films are commendable for setting up Katniss as a strong, female protagonist who (unlike female leads in other sci-fi/action films) is fairly non-sexualized. Great example for young girls overall.

    Then in the third film it's like they turn her into a stereotype by having her almost completely motivated by her "lady parts" and letting that cloud her judgement. It really undercuts the feminism of the first two stories, I think.
     
  6. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    The screenwriters were saying they had to change some stuff from the book (I'm not enough of a Hunger Games expert to tell you what) to get Katniss to even be as active as she was in the film. They knew it was problematic.
     
  7. It was pretty boring…I am in for the franchise so I did walk out -but I would not recommend it.
     
  8. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident

    Yes, I've heard that too, which is why I won't be watching it until part 2 comes out so I can see it back-to-back.

    Another film pulling this trick, which I unfortunately saw (and made no sense at all), was The Maze Runner. Except, I won't be watching part 2 of that one!
     
  9. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    I thought "Maze Runner" was good - for the first hour, at least. Actually, I don't think it ever became BAD, but it lost steam as it went - and I'm getting tired of movies that leave open their ends for the next chapters. At least give us a half-decent ending, even if there IS another movie yet to come! :cussing:

    Anyway, "Maze Runner" is very derivative but it's moderately entertaining...
     
  10. wolfram

    wolfram Slave to the rhythm

    Location:
    Berlin, Germany
    I liked the first two surprisingly well, so I decided to read the books and the problem lies there. The third book simply is the weakest by far and pretty disappointing, so I'm not surprised by people's reactions. And yes, making two movies out of it certainly won't help matters, unless they make major changes.
     
  11. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    The first half of the book is very boring same as this movie.

    The third book was the weakest one of the series...
     
  12. Squealy

    Squealy Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    Vancouver
    It's part of a series but they didn't split a book in half.
     
  13. Deesky

    Deesky Forum Resident

    Maybe so, but I thought the movie was dreadful (despite some early potential), completely devoid of any logic and as such I have no incentive to see the next installment.
     
  14. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    I finally got around to seeing this. I enjoyed it and didn't think it was boring at all.
     
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  15. Bryan

    Bryan Starman Jr. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    Saw part two this weekend and it definitely reinforces the fact that there was no need for this to be split into two films (other than studio greed).

    Part two was an improvement over part one, but it still felt like very little happened and the ending was anti-climactic, in my opinion. I'd rank the films from best to worst like this:

    Catching Fire
    The Hunger Games
    Mockingjay Part 2
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    Mockingjay Part 1
     
  16. bartels76

    bartels76 Forum Hall Of Fame

    Location:
    CT
    I totally agree. I even thought the third book was pretty boring. All the action took place in the last 20 pages. I saw it this weekend too as I have seen all the other movies and read the books. It was pretty boring like I knew it was going to be and I am glad I am done with the The Hunger Games. The first 2 movies and books were great though.
     
  17. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    I saw Part 2 this weekend also.

    It was still pretty boring. MockingJay was always the weakest book in the series and no way should it have been 2 movies.
     
  18. Monosterio

    Monosterio Forum Resident

    Location:
    South Florida
    I skipped the first part of Mockingjay yet I was still planning to see the conclusion on Thanksgiving weekend, but not after reading the comments here. I guess I was right to skip Part 1. :)
     
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  19. Solaris

    Solaris a bullet in flight

    Location:
    New Orleans, LA
    I watched Part I tonight since I hadn't seen it, then went to see Part II at the theatre right after. I feel like I wasted 4 and a half hours of my life. These movies are so utterly mediocre in every way, it's astounding. They're obviously for an early teen audience, but even so, the outcome was pretty clear from the appearance of Julianne Moore in Part I. Or maybe I watch too many movies and can see a clichéd set up a mile away.
     
  20. neo123

    neo123 Senior Member

    Location:
    Northern Kentucky
    My Rankings:

    The Hunger Games
    Catching Fire
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    .
    Mockingjay Part 2
    .
    .
    Mockingjay Part 1



    I agree both Mockingjay Parts were weak compared to the first two. Mockingjay Part 2, for me, was just slightly better than Part 1 but still boring and predictable (Never read the books.)
     
  21. tommy-thewho

    tommy-thewho Senior Member

    Location:
    detroit, mi
    I remember watching the Hunger Games and crying when Rue died it was so touching.

    The director for Mocking Jay had none of the touch needed for showing the pain of dying.
     
  22. Bryan

    Bryan Starman Jr. Thread Starter

    Location:
    Berkeley, CA
    I agree, it was clear from Part 1 that Moore's character was ultimately going to be "bad." The ending involving her character at the end of Part 2 could also be seen coming from a mile away.
     
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