Even without a bloody fight-to-the-death competition, the most recent installment of “The Hunger Games” tetralogy packs a punch of action and defiance.

Based off of the widely popular books written by Suzanne Collins, “The Hunger Games” tells the story of a teenage girl named Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in a dystopian society called “Panem” sometime in the near future.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part One” successfully shows the progressive relationship between the inciting words of Katniss and the unrest of the people of Panem, and one cannot help but be moved when Katniss screams into the camera “If we burn, you burn with us.”

Ruled by the despotic President Snow (Donald Sutherland), the people of Panem annually endure the Hunger Games, a well-broadcasted event in which two children from each of the 12 districts are selected to fight to the death in an arena.

As the Mockingjay, the title Katniss earns as the leader of the insurrection, named after the futuristic mockingjay bird that mimics sounds, Katniss’ goal is to convince the people of Panem to join the revolutionary District 13 in the uprising against the autocracy.

Jennifer Lawrence is well suited to the rebellious role of Katniss Everdeen in “Mockingjay”. When being filmed in her first seditious anti-establishment videos, she portrays Katniss just like in the book, lacking the determination her role requires.

After truly seeing the damage President Snow willingly inflicts, though, Katniss undergoes a shift. At this point, Jennifer Lawrence moves mountains in her performance as a persuasive teenage rebel.

When not being filmed in pro-revolution propaganda, however, Katniss displays a sadness stemming from the captivity of her love, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Director Francis Lawrence apparently chose to focus heavily on this underlying weakness in the girl who is the Mockingjay.

Behind the theme of rebellion and Katniss’ persisting sadness, “Mockingjay” skillfully infuses humor into the plot.

Laughter could heard among the audience at several points in the movie, including Haymitch’s (Woody Harrelson) likening of District 13 conditions to prohibition and Katniss’ insistence that her sister get to keep her cat as a condition of being the Mockingjay

Nonetheless, a heavy death toll and the continued urging of Katniss to resist submission draws “Mockingjay” back to subjects of sorrow and disorder, which are central to the books and the two previous movies.

Though lacking a bloody Hunger Games, “Mockingjay” contains a satisfying amount of action and promises an even better part two.

“Mockingjay” tells the central story of The Hunger Games trilogy adeptly, a story of the fight for justice that practically anyone can resonate with, especially the rebellious teen spirit of a high school student.

Though you will not be burying your head in your arms or jumping out of your seat in fear, you should still go see what “Mockingjay” has to offer.