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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2


Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, and Donald Sutherland
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Screenplay by: Peter Craig and Danny Strong
Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins

     It seems that the annual tradition of a Hunger Games movie has come to an end, and it's frankly about time.  So, with that said, welcome to the 4th annual Hunger Games film review.
     The war between the districts of Panem and the Capitol has grown ever more violent, and the rebels seem to be closing in on a final victory over the order that has been in place for generations.  Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is almost a god-like figure to the rebels, as the Mockingly, the symbol of the rebellion.  She was made the Mockingly by President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) of the rebellion, and the leader who would take the place of President Snow once they conquer the Capitol.  She is charged with rallying the rebels behind her against the oppressive Capitol.
     Maybe I'm the only one who's actually quite happy about this series finally coming to an end.  I was annoyed to hear that the third movie would be split into two parts as the book is not long enough to support two movies to be made from it.  There is nothing new about this story either.  It has moved away from the original concept, the one that captivated audiences all over the world; you know, the one where kids kill each other for sport in an arena for the whole of the country to watch live.  Mockingjay Part 1 was great because it dealt with the philosophical and idealistic side of the rebellion.  It had little action and was well based in the story it tells.  Part 2 is the action packed part of it.  The rebellion is no longer plotting how to take the Capitol, but rather is actually taking control of the city.  I like this film because we haven't seen much of the Capitol in the previous films.  In the first film, we saw a good portion of it as the tributes were preparing for the games, but Mockingjay Part 2 portrays the city very differently.  It is no longer the vibrant, lively city that holds Panem together, rather a war torn city ravaged by fierce battles between the Capitol and the rebellion.
     There is not as much character growth in this film as there is in the previous ones.  Katniss is no longer the maturing young woman who volunteered as tribute when her sister's name was drawn in the reaping.  She is now a leader of the rebellion.
     The film is very clearly not a stand alone film and should not be watched without seeing any of the previous ones first.  For those who do not know the ending of the story, you might be surprised by the ending, even though I won't say what it is because that would be spoiling it.  And I don't want to do that.  It feels like a film whose sole purpose is to tie everything together from the rest of the series and end it on a high note.  The film's conclusion is unclear.  It is not clear how the world order changes or how she is remembered in the districts by those who were a part of the rebellion.
     Overall, I don't particularly recommend this film.  If you've ever been really into the series then you'll want to see it through to the end, but if you're not into it so much, you don't really need to see it.  I think it might actually be the worst film in the series, yet it's not horrible.  It really is not a bad film, just an unsatisfying conclusion.
     I give Mockingjay Part 2 a C+.

Image from: www.quarterquell.org

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