Mockingjay Review

Hello out there! Been a while since I visited my blog. This month has been a bunch of craziness, between our car accident and my countless doctor visits determining that I have to have shoulder surgery. But I was afraid I would forget too much about Mockingjay if I didn't review it soon. I tried to justify seeing it again so that I could better review it, but I just don't see when that will be happening.

Standard warning: Spoilers and more spoilers! My opinions are my opinions, and you don't have to like them or agree with them, but don't make personal attacks on me if that is the case.

I read a lot of reviews on Mockingjay before seeing it myself, especially since it came out in London so much earlier than it came out here. The biggest complaint was that they split it into two parts, and a part of me greatly agrees with this complaint (curse you Harry Potter franchise for starting this!) But then I saw the movie. I honestly don't know what could've been removed, and there was certainly not enough that could be removed to fit enough of the second half in to satisfy. I think the solution should've been showing both films back to back, with an intermission for those of us with small bladders. I even would have paid for both films. This whole waiting until next year is garbage.

As for the actual movie, Jennifer Lawrence was AMAZING. So much of Mockingjay, the book, is internal and what that girl can do with just her expressions makes her deserve an award or two (I will contain my rant over the overlooking of YA films for awards). I liked the "behind the scenes" parts that were added to the movie, things that Katniss wouldn't have seen or known about like Plutarch tells Coin to let Katniss see District 12, to make it personal. And that scene was well done. Katniss even stepped on a skull, thinking at first it was a rock, just like in the book.

Jennifer Lawrence even did a good job singing the Hanging Tree. I mean, I don't think she should make an album any time soon, but if you consider she has no vocal training, and how nervous it made her, that scene turned out great. I liked how they made it lead into a broader scene with the bombing of the dam.

I only had a couple of little disappointments. One was that they took out the scene where Finnick runs out and tries to join them, but is still in his underwear, mostly because Boggs's line there is one of the best in the book, "Don't expect us to be impressed, we just saw Finnick Odair in his underwear."  I was also a little disappointed that Katniss didn't visit the bakery while she was in District 12, to show it to Peeta. I know, it's a little thing, but I would've liked to have seen it. They focused more on Gale in that scene, which was probably a good move because it was about the only way for them to tell that he was the one that saved the people of District 12. The other one is that I feel there was too much foreshadowing of Peeta's state of mind. When I read that he attacked Katniss in the book, I actually had to go back and read it again because it came as such a shock to me. In the movie, you  could tell something was going to happen between Snow's "it's the things that we love most that destroy us." to Gale's confession that the Capitol just let them escape (something Katniss doesn't learn until after Peeta attacks her in the book). My sister who hasn't read the books, wasn't shocked as I thought she would be because of the foreshadowing in the movie. I guess they figured most people have read the books or already knew about that part, I don't know.

Now, I have had my doubts about Josh Hutcherson as Peeta from day 1. If you know me you know that I love Peeta. It is the reason I hated Mockingjay the first time I read it (because nobody should mess with Peeta). And Josh isn't ANYTHING like the way Peeta should look. My biggest concern was how important his ability to act was going to be in Mockingjay. I mean, look what happened with Twilight! Some of these younger actors/actresses need some lessons or experience or something. But he did it. I'm not going to say he deserves an award... yet. I still want to see how he does in part 2, when he has to fight the crazy, but he did a good job of showing his state of mind deteriorating. It was better than I expected (mostly because I was scared he'd blow it).

I may add more thoughts after I see it again. I am also always open to questions and comments.