The wait is over, and the end of the Hunger Games movie franchise has arrived. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is now in theaters. Should you see it? In a word: yes. It’s a good movie. It’s fairly faithful to the book, as these things go. And if you’ve seen the other installments, of course you’re going to want that closure.
The effects were solid. I was particularly impressed with the underground scenes, which for a few minutes were straight up horror movie. The CGI could have gone fairly bad at that point, but it was impressive. (Although perhaps the CGI from Crimson Peak has made me easier to impress?)
Though somewhat predictable-or very predictable if you’re a fan of the books-Mockingjay winds up everything nicely. There will be no “what happened next?” when you leave the theater. Overall, it’s much more satisfying than the ending of Part 1, which was really just an extended lead-up to Part 2.
The timing of the release is slightly uncomfortable based on the recent terror attacks in Paris. Watching the death and violence in Panem and the flight of the refugees suddenly seems a little less “dystopian fiction” and a little more “real life”. Of course Suzanne Collins began working on the books after channel surfing through reality television competitions and scenes from the Iraq war, so the comparison isn’t without some merit.
The blockbuster Hunger Games franchise has taken audiences by storm around the world, grossing more than $2.2 billion at the global box office. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 now brings the franchise to its powerful final chapter in which Katniss Everdeen [Jennifer Lawrence] realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival – they are for the future.
With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow [Donald Sutherland] in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale [Liam Hemsworth], Finnick [Sam Claflin] and Peeta [Josh Hutcherson] – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is directed by Francis Lawrence from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, from an adaptation by Suzanne Collins, and features an acclaimed cast including Academy Award®-winner Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Academy Award®-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Willow Shields, Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, with Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland reprising their original roles from The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The impressive lineup is joined by The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 co-stars Academy Award®-winner Julianne Moore, Mahershala Ali, Natalie Dormer, Wes Chatham, Elden Henson and Evan Ross.
Lionsgate presents a Color Force / Lionsgate production.