Mockingjay Part One may be more than just an action packed movie. As the first part of the final book in The Hunger Games series, it seems to be much more than just the continuation of the story line. It seems as though screenplayers Peter Craig and Danny Strong created a great commentary on the Politics in today’s world.

    The movie begins with Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, finding herself and her family in district thirteen- the secret district of Panem. After the quarter quell Hunger Games, the Everdeens were brought there for safety and protection fearing that the Capitol would go after and execute them because of Katniss’ famous stand against it.

    In the great chaos and noise of the new movement to break free from the Capitol and to become free individuals,  District thirteen’s President, Alma Coin, played by Julianne Moore, and former Capitol official, Plutarch Heavensbee, played by Philip Hoffman, organize a propaganda movement that places Katniss’ face at the front. She would become the Mockingjay that would call the other districts to action against the Capitol and it’s oppressive behaviors.

    After Katniss gives her conditions on the table- saving Peeta and the other victors without holding them to any crimes, she agrees to become the symbol of the rebel alliance, and join the fight against the Capitol.
    The initial plan is to place Katniss in front of a camera and pretend as though she is among the rebel fighters fighting against President snow- Donald Sutherland- and the Capitol. However when discovered that she can not come close to the reaction she would have if actually placed in the scenario, Coin and Heavensbee agree for her to be sent out to the ruins of district twelve, her former home, and see the effects of Snow firsthand.
    Upon arrival, Katniss automatically sees the destruction the Capitol has created and the videos the crew film are much better than anything she could have filmed in a studio. But beside having perfect footage for the propaganda videos, Katniss walks among the crumbled buildings and climbs onto a mound only to stumble upon a valley of corpses of those who did not have the chance to flee before the attack happened and sees the true devastation caused by the destruction of district twelve.

    Katniss made several of these trips back to district twelve throughout the movie to create more of these propaganda clips to further encourage the districts to rise up against the Capitol and President Snow.
In the meantime, however, while support against the Capitol is rising, Snow is retaliating by using Peeta Mellark- Josh Hutcherson- in his own propaganda films. Peeta,  Katniss’ love and a Hunger Games victor, is presented in a positive light- as someone the Capitol is proud and accepting of. However, as the movie progresses, we see how false all of that is. We learn that Peeta had been tortured and coerced into urging citizens to set down their weapons and stand with the Capitol instead of against it.

After watching the film, I was surprised to see how much political commentary had been infused throughout its plot and story. The biggest message I believe it sent out was the role propaganda has in a world so technologically developed. Like our society today, the media plays a great role in political and international issues, and sometimes we do not acknowledge the fact that it have the power to shield us from the truth. Like the citizens of Panem in Mockingjay, we do not have the ability to distinguish between when we are being told the truth and when we are being told false information that is simply scripted. If a government is powerful enough, it can control what it’s citizens see and believe by simply putting something in front of a camera and making it seem true.
    Along with highlighting the dramatic power of the role the media plays in world issues, this film also portrayed the power of an individual. With Katniss urging other citizens to fight against authority, her supporters came together and formed a rebel army that became a real threat to the government. The rebel army that was built up and strengthened because of Katniss’ devotion and motivation became a force with power and potential to change the future. And although this may not be as dramatic a problem her in America, the ideas portrayed in this film have been seen as a real threat considering that the movie has been banned in several countries because of the message it sends out.

Somewhat educationally, the film also reflected many events in the course of history that were consequences of those in power gaining too much of it. In one of the scenes, the rebel army marches to the dam which generates the Capitol's energy and destroys and detonates it. This was a mere image of the storming of the Bastille in Paris in 1789 in which citizens were unhappy with king and decided to take matters into their own hands.

    However, putting the depth and analysis aside, this was also a great movie in terms of acting and presentation. Even though playing as characters in such a dystopian society, the actors were believable, encaptivating, and did an amazing job playing those roles.

    As for the plot, there was never a moment where I was not eager to see what would come next. The entire movie was filled with anticipation and I was constantly waiting to see what the story would bring and how the resolution would unfold.

    This movie is worth the watch for anyone above the age of thirteen because it is a great way to be subtly reminded that we live in a world filled with corruption and control and that unless we fight for ourselves, we will forever be suppressed. And again, beyond that, it is a great movie with a captivating storyline that is worth being watched even if just for the action.

    In an interview with the director, Francis Lawrence, he stated that “[His] goal with Mockingjay is to make people think about war—the sides of war, the consequences of it, the propaganda, and the images we’re being shown”(Stern). He definitely accomplished his goals as the film brought to attention the effects of a war between a government and it’s people and how the media and individuals both have the power change the course of that war.

Stern, Marlow. "What ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1’ Has in Common with ISIS    Videos and Killing Bin Laden." The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2014.