Parents' Guide to

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Melancholy, violent sequel sets stage for waging war.

Movie PG-13 2014 123 minutes
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 12+

Based on 18 parent reviews

GBedu
GBedu Adult
October 12, 2022
age 12+

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
James Hedrick
James Hedrick Adult
July 4, 2020
age 16+

The Quality We have Come to Expect

Another strong entry in the series, if not the best one this only serves as a compliment to the others. I thoroughly enjoyed it. As always the target audience is too young. With the violence and dark tone this is suitable for sixteen and above. By this point if you are watching this series you like it already. If you don't, I don't see this one changing your mind. However I highly recommend. Also I did not know Jennifer Lawrence could sing, but that voice is lovely.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 18 parent reviews

What's the Story?

At the end of Catching Fire, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) fired an arrow right into the heart of the Capitol by destroying the Arena. In MOCKINGJAY, PART 1, she wakes up disoriented in the secret, underground District 13, which is led by President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore). Distraught that President Snow (Donald Sutherland) has taken Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) hostage, Katniss agrees to become the symbolic face of the rebellion once President Coin promises to rescue and pardon Peeta and two other surviving Victors. Plutarch (the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) arranges for director Cressida (Natalie Dormer) to shoot a series of propaganda videos starring Katniss in full Mockingjay mode. As she visits the other rebelling Districts and her own decimated District 12, Katniss realizes the Capitol must be destroyed -- but not until Peeta is safe from Snow's pathological control.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (18):
Kids say (119):

There's a dark, melancholy tone to this movie, but it matches Katniss' state of mind. She's borderline despondent over Peeta's capture and frightened of President Snow's psychological terror campaign against her. She's not the Girl on Fire of the Games; she must become the real heroine of the revolution. Director Francis Lawrence continues to prove his commitment to making adaptations that are faithful to the spirit of the source material while also introducing changes to enhance the visual and emotional experience for movie-goers who haven't read the books. It was unclear how Mockingjay would work, being divided in two, but the movie succeeds in capturing Katniss' emotional volatility as she goes from Hunger Games Victor to revolutionary symbol -- even if that means it feels like not much happens in this installment compared to the first two films.

As Snow icily tells Katniss, love can destroy you -- and, in this case, Katniss' singular focus on Peeta consumes her to the point of distraction and instability. Lawrence is such a gifted actress that it seems completely authentic that a post-traumatic 17-year-old girl would care more about the one person who kept her sane in her darkest moments in the Arena than she would about furthering Coin's mission (and what a perfect job Moore does of playing the calculating leader). Liam Hemsworth does Gale justice, showing how the intelligent young man is in his element with the rebels of District 13 but also that he loves Katniss so much that he'd be willing to risk his life to save his rival for her affections. Hutcherson isn't on screen all that much compared to the first two films, but when he is, you can't take your eyes off his transformation from the charismatic Boy with the Bread into a starved, wild-eyed hostage. This isn't the sequel you'll want to rewatch again and again, but it does set things up for the final film, when Katniss will have to lead not just the stirrings of rebellion but an actual war.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the political themes in Mockingjay. How does President Coin compare to President Snow? How are their visions for Panem different? What does Katniss want for the people of Panem? Katniss spends a lot of time narrowly focused on Peeta's welfare. Is this believable? How do her relationships change in this installment? How is she different?

  • How does the violence in this installment compare to the previous ones? What's the impact of media violence on kids?

  • Why is media and messaging so important to the District 13 cause? What does Plutarch mean when he says Peeta is being used as a symbol, just like Katniss? Do the "propos" capture Katniss' real feelings despite being produced?

  • How do the characters in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 demonstrate courage, perseverance, and self-control? Why are these important character strengths?

  • Those who are familiar with the book: What did you think of the changes the director and screenwriter made? Did you like where the filmmakers chose to end the first volume?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate