It's not secret anticipation for the last two installments of The Hunger Games is at a fever pitch. With The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 rolling into theaters on November 21, fans are holding on for the last couple weeks until they get to see the Francis Lawerence-helmed sequel in theaters. But a few lucky people already got to see the new film, and reviews for the film are now hitting the web.
The reviews, collected by The Playlist, all seem to agree the new movie feels overstretched in its extending of a single book to two films. But, many compliment Mockingjay-Part 1 for its change in tone and more thoughtful approach.
Among the most positive reviews include About Entertainment, who said in their 4/5 review that Mockingjay-Part 1 is "thrilling, heartfelt, and a terrific curtain-raiser for the final battle," as "Mockingjay Part 1 takes the Hunger Games series to new heights even as it sings in its own voice." Also praising the film is Total Film, who says ""Katniss arms up… against anyone expecting diminishing returns from a four-part trilogy. With measure and muscle, Lawrences Jennifer and Francis nail the job of selling the long, twisting road towards revolution."
Also very enthusiastic of the film is Cinema Blend, who say ""...the new sequel instead takes the franchise themes of revolution and resistance to the next level, taking its characters to war. Rather than struggling with this massive shift, however, the new film simply makes the dystopian world that much more fascinating and exciting, and is ultimately another very successful chapter in the blockbuster series." Continuing to compliment the sequel is Hey U Guys, who write that "Mockingjay Part 1 is a powerful, moving, penultimate chapter...Though Katniss Everdeen may not quite qualify as feminist icon she is unquestionably a refreshing and empowering example for audiences coming of age in a superhero-heavy world. Take note, Hollywood."
Still enjoying Mockingjay-Part 1, but a little less forgiving of the film, includes The Guardian, who says "Director Francis Lawrence ekes a paltry story out. The special effects are limp and the script a little creaky, although somehow it still manages to thrill" in their 3/5 star review. Also positive, but considerate in their praise, is Badass Digest, whose reviewer says "I’m giving Mockingjay Part 1 a bit of a pass here; it’s not a complete film, but what is on screen is smart and dark in a truly adult way - i.e., it’s about the impacts of violence and oppression, not just the kewlness of those things."
He continues by commenting that "That Part 1 is unfulfilling in total isn’t because of director Francis Lawrence or the screenwriters who adapted Suzanne Collins’ novel - it’s because of the marketing guys who made the choice to cut this movie in half. If Part 2 satisfactorily knocks down the dominoes this film has set up, in twenty years we won’t even think twice about their release pattern. We'll just be talking about how great The Hunger Games quartet was as serious social commentary science fiction."
Also somewhere in the middle are Forbes, who calls it "half of a movie and half of a story" and "pure foreplay," but still considers it his "pick for the best overall Hunger Games film thus far" and Screen International, who note "it may disappoint young fans who relished the sheer fantasy verve that drove the first parts, but as a thoughtful and at times moving preamble to a tough climax, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 delivers."
Not liking the movie, though, would be The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Mirror and The Telegraph. The first critic found the movie "like an overgrown and bloated trailer for a film yet to come," as "Francis Lawrence's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1 spreads perhaps 45 minutes of dramatic material across two far-too-leisurely hours." The second said "this movie is all built-up with a distinct lack of excitement," and the third called the new movie "all queue, no roller-coaster."
Regardless of what the critics think, fans are going to come in droves. The movie is already the record setter for most first-day pre-sale tickets bought and is already set to bring in $130-150 million on its opening weekend.
Image courtesy of Roger Wong/INFphoto.com