The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 2 (2015)
Release Date: November 20, 2015
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Director: Francis Lawrence
Studio: Color Force
Distributor: Lionsgate
Genre(s): Science-Fiction, Action
Based On Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Spoilers: Low
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We’ve watched as Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12, battled against the tyranny of her dystopic world called Panem. From her sacrifice in volunteering on behalf of her younger sister, to fighting in two hunger games and surviving both, to joining the rebellion and becoming a symbol of hope for her people. Mockingjay Part 2 brings the exciting series to a roaring conclusion, and as a movie fan, the series end got as close to a fair ending as it could get.
Separating it from its book counterpart, as a person who never finished Collins’ series, Mockingjay Part 2 may not include all the details of the inspiration, but swells with the proper emotion that leaves the audience even more deeply invested, not only in Katniss, but the future of Panem. Part 2 picks up immediately where Part 1 left off but throws everything quickly into action.
Additionally, Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as the leading protagonist continues to soar as she plays the standoffish young girl who is thrown into conflict and forced to become a leader. The Katniss of the books was always distant for me, she was very unlikable in the beginning and a difficult protagonist to root for at times, but Lawrences’ nuanced approach to Katniss leaves a vulnerability and heroism that rings true to the viewers.
Unlike the previous games, there is more on the line than just one person’s life. There is the fate of their entire world. It’s not just self sacrifice but also the rewriting of the rulebooks. Undoing humanities wrongs, at least for a while. The film calls back themes from previous films, and with an swelling score that frames important scenes there is hardly a single scene that feels unnecessary in the telling of the tale.
Final Thoughts: Mockingjay Part 2 brings a solid conclusion to a riveting series, with a wonderfully suspenseful buildup and a solid end that is sure to satisfy.