MOVIE REVIEW: " THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1" (2014)

” THE HUNGER GAMES : MOCKINGJAY – PART 1″ (2014)

For those who have waited this long, you’d probably have to bate your breath to wait for the arrival of another chapter. This one is political dry stuff that needs a lot of foreplay.

The PLOT, so far:

It could have been so much better if the pace picks up fast and furious. But the film director says “no”.

Author Suzanne Collins wrote three “Hunger Games” novels in all.

But more sequels mean more cash, so here you are, you get four new awesome installments, following the direction of “Harry Potter’s” and “Twilight’s” franchises.

Sure,”Mockingjay”did an excellent job of getting Jennifer Lawrence to shape up, physically and emotionally. And be equipped to fight a rebellion against the evil Capitol.

But this one may leave us high and dry, waiting for the ferocious battle cries to roar.

THE PLOT

The film picks up where the last one left off, with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) being rescued from the Hunger Games by Plutarch (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Katniss now lives in District 13, a hive-like underground bunker that houses people who support the rebellion against the Capitol and the wicked President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

Katniss’ family is now with her, and so is old friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth).

But she remains sick with worry over her beloved Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) whom she is forced to leave behind during her defection.

Under the capable leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss literally spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). The nation cheers her on.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Danny Strong and Peter Craig.

He has a magnificent line-up of veterans for this big budget movie and manages to coax his actors to portray their screen roles in a hard-edged style that is brutal, cold and chilling.

RATING: 3.5 out of 5

Local Distributor: TGV PICTURES