Movie Mondays: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1

Movie Mondays: On Mondays, I will review a book series or novel that has been made into a movie. I will then answer the question that everyone asks: which is better, the movie or the book? Here is this week’s offering:

Book: Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins | Movie: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 (2014)

Which did I read/see first? the BOOK

Book Cover | Movie Poster

Warning: For those who have not read the final book of the Hunger Games Trilogy, Mockingjay, while I tried my best, there may unintentionally be spoilers!

The Book:

Series: The Hunger Games Trilogy
Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Competition, Romance, Action
Point of View: First Person, Single

Thoughts:

As I said in my previous review of Catching Fire, it’s a tossup between Mockingjay and Catching Fire for my second favourite book of the trilogy. It is hard to ultimately decide because they differ so much from the inaugral Hunger Games book.

Mockingjay is definitely slower because we don’t have the Games to keep us entertained. But, things come to the forefront regarding the dystopian universe the books are set in and that managed to capture my attention. There were also a lot of twists that kept things interesting.

Conclusion:

There isn’t much to say that I haven’t said about the previous two books. They are all well written and I liked how everything wrapped up in this one. It has also been 3 years since I read it and I can’t remember the particulars of my reaction to the book after finishing it but I really liked the book when all was said and done.

Rating: 5/5
Series Review: Full series review here!.

Similar Reads: Divergent by Veronica Roth (Divergent Trilogy, #1) and Delirium by Lauren Oliver (Delirium Trilogy, #1)

The Movie:

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that I thought splitting up Mockingjay into two parts was a stupid idea. All it is to me is a way to make extra money because they know people will see it. But when it comes to the story, I have no idea how you split up such a small book that really doesn’t have a whole lot going on into two 2-hour movies.

And I think it showed when I watched the movie: because it was on the duller side.

Did I need to watch some guy I don’t remember reading about, and still don’t know the name of, walk away from a plane for 5 minutes? Nope.

Did I need to revisit the same site of destruction 2+ times to get the idea that things weren’t good in PanAm? Nope.

Did I need another shot of a distraught Katniss to get the idea that she was distraught? Hell no!

Don’t get me wrong, I thought Jennifer Lawrence did a great job with what she was given and I think she is a great actress. She was dramatic but not annoyingly so in terms of her acting. It was the plot that I struggled with.

Honestly, it was dull and I felt like nothing really happened until the last 30 minutes of the movie. There was just so much redundancy that I think it really killed the movie and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Frankly, there was no reason to drag this book out into two movies and it makes me really worried for Divergent’s third movie, Allegiant because there is no need to extend that book into two parts when NOTHING HAPPENS action wise. It’s a shame the focus is on money and not providing the best experience for the viewer.

So while I didn’t love the movie, I still liked watching all my favourite characters brought to life. Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks were fantastic and I loved watching them on screen. The casting for this series has been amazing and it was great seeing the chemistry between all the characters.

So, which is better: the book or the movie?

In this case, the winner is the BOOK. Honestly, there is no need for two movies and I preferred the concise scenes of the book to the redundant scenes of the movie.

Do you agree? Leave a comment below!

Synopsis for The Hunger Games (from Goodreads):

Sparks are igniting.
Flames are spreading.
And the Capitol wants revenge.

Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games.  She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive.  Katniss should be relieved, happy even.  After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale.  Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be.  Gale holds her at an icy distance.  Peeta has turned his back on her completely.  And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol – a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.

Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she’s afraid she cannot stop.  And what scares her even more is that she’s not entirely convinced she should try.  As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol’s cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever.  If they can’t prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.

Trailer: