Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 Review

1. Catching Fire
2. Hunger Games
3. Mockingjay Part 2
4. Mockingjay Part 1

The world and life of both the Hunger Games and Katniss Everdeen is a wonderful tale. The sad post-apocalyptic world is an interesting story while keeping us on the edge of our seats. The final chapter could have extended this and had a finale that would have been fantastic in scope. Sadly this didn't live up to the hype many was hoping for. The flaws out way the good in this final chapter.

Everdeen now has to deal with the aftermath of Peeta almost killing her to try and fight a enemy that never sleeps. The resistance takes President Snow's last defense before the Capital. They push onto the capital where Snow has made an assortment of traps to stop the forces of the resistance. Though President Coin won't allow the "Mockingjay" to die in the front lines, so she sneaks onto the battlefield. Armed with a team of people introduced in the last movie, Everdeen has to face her face last obstacle. The 76th Hunger Games has begun.

The movie starts off halfway into the movie. Like many other part 1 and part 2 movies in the past (Harry Potter and Hobbit), the movie have to of course fill in minutes by giving the audience filler. Like the Hobbit, it drags for great amount of time. However, the pacing issues aren't really the biggest flaws. They're relevant and easily scene, though the director decided to not clump them all together. Can't deny that they're there though. Moments where we're just given some exposition while other scenes of them not doing anything are thrown at us for three minutes at a time.

It would be acceptable if those moments drove the story along or made for great character development. Though they're plainly obvious fillers, which bong down the time and kill the action and adventure tone. Scenes that could have kept an amazingly different pace, are slowed down so the movie won't end too early. The main source for this was the last movie. The last movie ended too far into the book, because nothing really happened in the last one. They had to end it at the part with Peeta because the movie would have felt boring otherwise. This results in the final chapter only being a quarter of the book that's stretched out into a 2 hour and 17 minute affair. Again, this wasn't even the worst part of the film.

The worst parts of the film is the tone switches. The grim nature of the film is switched for cheap gimmicks throughout the film. The problem with talking about these gimmicks is that it will spoil parts of the film that are key. That won't happen in this review, but there might be a spoiler review coming up soon.

There's been many stories of Suzanne Collins (author of the books) rushing the last book because of some contract disputes. It really feels like it in this one. *Small spoiler* Instead of us getting to know some of the characters in the film, she just kills them off because she really hits home the dread of the world. The sad and grim nature of the last book is translated into the film. However, the director and screenwriters still don't give even a small amount of time dedicated to character development for these characters. They're thrown into the film and are instantly taken out. This just makes the whole experience feel like a gimmick. Also, characters loved in the first two films are sometimes gone without any remorse. Some of these characters are gone and nothing is said about them afterwards. Characters which are beloved in the film. This doesn't always have to do with them dying though, but just disappearing from the film all together. Don't know if fault has to be laid on Collins or Francis Lawrence (the director). Though its a flaw that should be addressed. All of these flaws lead to one of the most disappointing endings this year.

The end to the film won't be spoiled for those who haven't watched it. However, there's key parts of the ending that are extremely flawed. Some of the characters who die are randomly in locations for them to get killed in. Also, there's certain little tiny flaws (people would maybe say it's nitpicking) that are thrown right in the audience's face. It's hard not to notice them and it turns the film into what it was trying so hard not to do. Some might not find the ending predictable. However, it really was. The predictable ending steams from a rushed ending. It feels like a house without anything holding it up. This knocks down every other great aspect of the previous films, resulting in a conclusion that feels rushed while also being dragged on for a couple of minutes. The director seems to rush into the ending while not really having a clear cut one. It's convoluted in a unnecessary way. It's not necessary the directors fault, as he has to rely on material that's flawed on its own. The grim and not happy ending is very refreshing, and gives the true tone of what the final chapter is trying to portray. However, the flaws can't be overlooked.

Overall, the great things about the movie are overshadowed by the good. The actors did a fine job, but the movie doesn't allow them to shine besides Jenifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson (which character is the only one who gets any character development in the whole movie). The movie is better than the last one, because stuff actually happens, however it doesn't give the series the great sendoff it deserves. The film is similar to Spectre, a somewhat fun movie, overshadowed by flaws.

5/10

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