The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

Eleven days ago, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” was released. I saw the movie on Monday, so now I will let you know my thoughts.

It looks fitting that this young adult film finishes this teen-oriented franchise – taking a very hard, straightforward look at war, the meaning of democracy, the consequences of a government change, and the understated task of nation-building.

Shalini Langer mentioned in her review, “There are other narratives here, as President Snow (Sutherland) whips up fears about “those who don’t know our ways”, in order to guard his Capitol against “outsiders”.” Walls are built, children separated from mothers as war arrives.

Langer said in her review, “Writer Suzanne Collins features in the credits again for helping adapt her books to the screen, and director Lawrence faithfully follows her vision in placing the tortured and torn Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) as the moral centre of this dystopia. Other women too play a crucial role in each of the turns the film takes, whether as Katniss’s friends, family, rivals or enemy.”

Langer goes on to say, “While Part 2 of what ended exactly a year ago also begins with its take on modern warfare being about who grabs the most eyeballs, it thankfully moves on confidently into real battle this time.” The dome – again a parallel drawn between life outside the hunger games and within – is the bombed Capitol itself. The film shows it well, both the bombed overground and the miserable underworld.

Katniss decides she has reached her limit of being told what to do by Coin, who sees herself as the leader of the rebels, and decides that the only way out, is to take down Snow. Langer said, "So disregarding direct orders, she secretes out to join Gale (Hemsworth) and the others on a mission into Capitol." Peeta, who was tormented and brainwashed by the Capitol in the previous film to a point where he can’t tell the truth from reality anymore, soon joins them. We think Coin believes it makes a better story for a movie if the two former lovers are kept together, even as possible opponents now.

The film follows Katniss’s company of seven or so as they steadily make their way to Snow’s castle, criss-crossing through the unknown bomb traps he has set for them. Snow sees this as just another part of the hunger games, with the demonstration even bigger as he takes out the rebels on camera in the real world.

Langer mentioned, “Mockingjay – Part 2 works again because Lawrence, who has grown as much as Katniss through the course of this series, brings forth the right mix of vulnerability and steel required of her. It’s a rare achievement on screen for a heroine to be so consistently a person than a woman, making no concessions to her so-called feminine self.”

It’s also rare for a film to reject itself the excitement of a success after this hard-fought, four-part, big-franchise fight. However, Francis Lawrence also resists.

However, I will admit the same thing that everyone else has said when they were watching these movies: this should not have been split up into two movies. If they had cut out parts that felt like it was just filler and combined both of the parts together, the film could have been stronger and better compared to what it is. Now, this part is better than the first part, but the first two are still better. They should have known that it wouldn’t have been great when they decided to split Mockingjay up into two parts. Anyway, I will say that you can go to the theater and watch this movie because you will like it, I promise.

Alright, that ends “Hunger Games Month.” I know I am posting this late, but I was out for a good part of the day, and no, not for Black Friday shopping. We only were doing that for a little bit, I’m not crazy about Black Friday at all. Stay tuned next month for another exciting conclusion series of reviews for this year.