The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin, Stanley Tucci, Jena Malone, Natalie Dormer, Elden Henson, Willow Shields, Robert Knepper
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Science Fiction
2015

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) leads the rebellion against the Capitol and President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

Review:

Tim: The Hunger Games franchise ends with a whimper. Mockingjay- Part 2 never really had that much of a chance. The source material was a disappointment and breaking the last book into two movies didn't do it any favors. There's enough here and Francis Lawrence is a good enough director to at least spin a fairly solid movie. However, this is perhaps the least effective film in the franchise. You never want to wrap on a low note.

The movie is plagued by a major issue in the book- nothing that happens here is all that interesting. Katniss isn't really at the center of the action and has surprisingly little to do here. While watching the film, you sort of get caught up in the events on screen. Upon reflection, though, you realize how little of actual substance takes place in this film. The movie doesn't end with a worthwhile climax, it just kind of fades out. That hurts the overall effectiveness of the film.

This movie is luckily still enjoyable. We've been on a long journey with these characters, so there is a genuine sense of excitement at seeing their story wrap up. President Snow and the Capitol have been formidable opponents, so we want to see the rebels succeed. Unfortunately, in all the cool directions the story could have gone, the one it goes in is fairly lackluster. There are a few exciting sequences here and there, but the conclusion is minimally effective. That is disappointing.

The cast is good- they have experience playing these characters and leverage that well in this movie. Jennifer Lawrence is good as Katniss. She was absolutely the right person for this role. Josh Hutcherson gets shortchanged as Peeta- he doesn't have all that much to do. This movie (and the book) needed more interaction between these two characters. It's frustrating that we don't get more. Liam Hemsworth was okay as Gale, but he didn't do anything that really excited me. Donald Sutherland has always been a great choice for Snow and he plays the part very well. The film benefits from the immense talents of Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, and the recently deceased Philip Seymour Hoffman, but none of them were given big enough roles. It's frustrating when the best talent exists on the margins of the film.

The biggest problem with this movie is how anticlimactic it is. It's a totally forgettable conclusion. If you want a film to contrast it with, look at the amazing spectacle that was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. That ended the franchise with a bang and was one of the most effective, powerful films in the franchise. When you compare that to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2, this film just elicits a shrug. I actually wish the screenplay would have departed from the book more (I almost never say that). Someone involved in the production should have known drastic measures were needed.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2 concludes the franchise in ineffective fashion. This film made significantly less money than any of the others- $50 million less than Part 1 and $119 million less than the first film. That's damning evidence that something went wrong here. I do need to stress that this is actually a good movie and not all that far below the quality of the others. This isn't a bad movie, but it was missing the excitement factor. It was missing a compelling reason for us to care. I did enjoy the movie, but I started to forget the film as soon as it finished. This wasn't a terrible ending, but it was a lackluster one.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 7



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1