It was the first time I hadn’t gone to the premiere. Ever since the first Hunger Games movie hit the theaters, I had gone to every midnight premiere; waiting hours on end while decked out in Hunger Games attire like a true fanatic.
But with Mockingjay: Part 1, I hadn’t had the time, energy or eagerness to go to the premiere. I had already read the book, so I thought I knew what to expect. These two factors made my anticipation and expectations for the film set pretty low.
But boy, were my expectations blown out of the water.
Emotionally packed, Mockingjay depicts the beginning of a passionate rebellion against The Capitol and their leader, President Snow. Mockingjay picks up the pieces of what was left over from the Hunger Games and uses these pieces as weapons to gain back what so many have lost.
The movie picks up where Catching Fire left off, in a hospital room where Katniss is coming to the realization that she had been saved from the Quarter Quell games and Peeta had not.
To make things worse, her home, District 12, had been destroyed. However, instead of being allowed some time for mourning, Katniss is quickly pulled into yet another propaganda campaign. The resistance makes Katniss their “Mockingjay,” the figure that all of Panem rallies behind in their fight against The Capitol.
Although much different than the Hunger Games’ usual quota of tracker jackers and slaughtered adolescents, Mockingjay explores a different route of suffering.
Dealing with loss of loved ones, loss of a home, loss of dignity and, for Haymitch, loss of alcohol, Mockingjay presents the reality of resilience and the suffering that comes with it. Picking up the pieces of tragedy after tragedy isn’t easy, and it’s definitely not pretty either. However, it is inspiring.
We finally get to see more emotions from characters than just overwhelming fear, such as Katniss’ self-sacrificial love.
We finally get to see hope welling inside characters in the midst of so much tragedy and loss.
We finally get to see our favorite characters fight back.
With a resistance fully underway, Mockingjay completely captures the audience’s full attention with its passion, action and self-sacrifice. The movie tragically portrays just how far the people of Panem are willing to go to make a better life for themselves.
Mockingjay will make you sit on the edge of your seat. It will make your heart break as loved ones are lost and recovered. It will make you want to see white roses lying upon the grave of President Snow. And, most of all, it will make you want to stand up in the middle of the theatre to join the other districts in their salute to the great Katniss Everdeen.
Mockingjay is a tale of loss, longing and loneliness that will spur even the most timid hearts to join the people of District 13 in their rebellion against the ever-oppressive Capitol.