The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 2 (2015), Rated “PG-13”
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Reviewed by Xavier Emaka
Rating: 
2015 witnessed the conclusion on one of the most popular franchises of the past decade. I had huge expectation for The Hunger Games: The Mocking Jay Part 2 and unfortunately I feel it did not live up to the standards set by the previous installments. I think its predecessors had more in terms of plot and character development — but that doesn’t mean that it was a dull watch.
Part 1 ended with Peeta having his mind hijacked by The Capitol and attempting to kill Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). Part 2 opens with her recuperating and even trying to make peace with Peeta. Lawrence absolutely kills that opening scene. You could feel the pain in her throat as she tries to learn to speak again.
As she gets better, she travels to District 2 to request to join their struggle, but she’s shot by one of the people in the group. She survives the assassination attempt, but by then her popularity has risen to the point that some feel she should no longer be in battle. Instead, she should be part of the public relations group. Eventually, she’s convinced to be part of an all-star group of fighters attempting to take over The Capitol. The group’s purpose is to raise morale and so their attack on the The Capitol is recorded.
The plan however turns out to be not as easy they had hoped and the further into The Capitol they go the more difficult it becomes. Things aren’t made easier by the fact Peeta is with them in spite still being sporadically under their control. His presence endangers the rest of the group as he switches from mutt to Peeta.
What I liked about this movie was Jennifer Lawrence’s performance; she was its most redeeming quality. The film however seems to have been rushed. Francis Lawrence must have been on a short deadline and needed to make it work. The conclusion of the film might leave you a bit confused and wondering what the whole point of Coin (the good guy) was. Splitting the movies was a decision based on its large page volume as was with the final Harry Potter installment. However, it left little fodder for this final installment.
The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 2 is also a victim of several plot holes. I’ve already pointed one out, but won’t go into the rest to spoil it too much.
Katniss Everdeen is one of the more interesting female characters to emerge in a while. I don’t think she shows any softness that would be stereotypical. All of Lawrence’s renditions of her have been as stoic as the likes of classic male action heroes like Stallone, Schwarzenegger and Statham, who ooze quiet confidence.
It’s a film worth checking out especially for anyone who wants to have the loose ends of the previous movies tied up while enjoying well shot scenes.
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