Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 - 10 Reasons It Sucks (And 2 It Doesn't)

8. The Satire Doesn't Try Hard Enough

One of the more interesting aspects of Mockingjay Part 1 is the PR war being fought by the revolutionaries and the Capitol, in which Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is made into a Mockingjay, a public poster figure for the rebellion, complete with corny, gung-ho propaganda which, rather amusingly, somewhat resembles the trailers for the movie themselves. On the other side of the coin, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), has been hijacked and brainwashed into making anti-rebellion statements on Capitol TV, and so, both sides are essentially trying to out-propaganda the other. It's an interesting idea, taking a clear jab at the falsity of news media and superficial nature of politics, but director Francis Lawrence just doesn't go far enough with it. Given how bleak and self-serious this film is, a funnier, sharper send-up would have provided some much-needed comic relief. Instead, the mockery is relatively downplayed here, yet given how little material there actually is in the film, there was certainly plenty of room to expand upon this aspect without drowning out the drama.