The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 (2014)

Most people think so. 80% of audiences gave it a thumbs up based on 16,585 votes. Critics gave it 67%.

After surviving the Quarter Quell, Katniss finds herself in the hidden stronghold of District 13, where the rebellion against the Capitol is gaining momentum. Struggling with the weight of becoming the symbol of resistance, she must navigate fragile alliances while trying to protect those she loves. As propaganda battles rage and Panem moves closer to full-scale war, Katniss is forced to confront the true cost of revolution. Wikipedia ↗

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 is a 2014 American dystopian science fiction film directed by Francis Lawrence, the third installment in the Hunger Games franchise. Following her rescue from the Quarter Quell arena, Katniss Everdeen finds herself in the underground District 13, where rebel leader President Alma Coin, played by Julianne Moore, and former Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman, want to use her as the Mockingjay — the living symbol of the revolution against the Capitol. But Katniss is traumatized and reluctant, especially after learning that Peeta has been captured by the Capitol and is being used as a propaganda tool against the rebellion.

Mockingjay - Part 1 was the most politically sophisticated film in the franchise, functioning essentially as a war film about propaganda and media manipulation rather than a survival adventure. The film explored how both sides of a conflict weaponize imagery and narrative — the rebels stage elaborate "propos" featuring Katniss, while the Capitol broadcasts Peeta's forced confessions, and the audience watches both sides construct their version of truth. Philip Seymour Hoffman, who passed away during production in February 2014, had completed most of his scenes, though some dialogue was redistributed to other characters and one remaining scene was completed using digital effects and a body double.

The film earned $755 million worldwide, and while some critics felt the decision to split the final novel diluted the narrative, others praised the film's willingness to slow down and examine the psychological cost of revolution on its central character.