The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
by: Anthony Zangrillo
The final entry in the adaptation of the young adult book series The Hunger Games heightens the already dark and mature tone, yet the substance of the film lacks any real impact beyond a few tense and dramatic inducing moments. While legions of fans publicly derided the Mockingjay novel, Lionsgate only lengthened fans’ torture by making this adaptation a two-part finale. This creative decision has great financial benefits, yet a tighter and more condensed version of the film would have benefitted the franchise creatively. Honestly, Mockingjay’s plot meanders for most of the film, significantly downplaying certain tragic events befuddling audiences in the process.
On the brink of a full scale war in the nation of Panem, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in a final showdown. With the future of Panem in the balance, Katniss embarks on a mission with a covert unit from District 13. This team consists of her closest friends, Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin) and the mentally damaged Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). Katniss plans to stage an assassination attempt on President Snow, yet the Capital throws deadly traps, enemies and moral choices that will challenge Katniss in the most dangerous arena she has ever encountered.
Picking up from the end of Mockingjay, Part 1, the series tackles more adult themes encompassing politics, rebellion, and propaganda. The tone results in a dark and war-torn film constantly reinforcing the seemingly hopelessness of Panem’s liberation efforts. At times, the film seems to focus an inordinate amount of time to figurehead politics and basic plot exposition, rather than developing any character not named Katniss. For example, a lot of the love triangle elements between Katniss, Gale, and Peeta feel forced and overly telegraphed.
On the bright side, Jennifer Lawrence flexes her Oscar muscles in a showcase of tense and dramatic scenes. In fact, Katniss’s first scene involves the repercussion of a savage assassination attempt on her life from the last film. This introduction shows Katniss in a vulnerable and weak position; however, the heroine quickly recovers with only remnant psychological fears as a consequence. While death and remorse are no strangers to this franchise, Katniss struggles with a staunch feeling of guilt and loss. Now, Katniss feels directly responsible for the loss of allies and innocent citizens. This increased sense of urgency widens the scope of the stakes for this film, making every conflict matter.
Early on, the film makes a wise decision in focusing on the hearts and minds of Panem. While this should have been expanded upon in the last film, dealing with a loyalist contingent from District 2 provides an interesting dilemma for Katniss and the rebels. This scenario culminates in a tense life or death situation ripe for Jennifer Lawrence’s acting ability. Starting the film with this gut punch sufficiently establishes the constant risks that the characters face in each conflict.
Furthermore, most action scenes are exhilarating and tense. The obvious standout involves a pack of swarming, mutated hounds in the sewers of the capital. This scene invokes horror tropes and pays homage to classic creature, army conflicts (ie: Aliens). The CGI mutants relentlessly stalk their prey in a deadly hoard. Similar innovative and unique traps would’ve significantly upped the ante for the final film of the franchise.
Undoubtedly, the film’s conclusion and resolution make unfortunate missteps that sully this franchise’s finale. While readers of the book will know about a certain surprise toward the end of the book, the film’s adaptation follows the book’s frustratingly short depiction. The concise approach may work in a novel, but the film reduces the tragedy to an inconsequential and awkward act. It is sad to realize that a stylistic scene earlier on in the film probably had more impact on audiences than the harsh scenario that closes the war.
Overall, Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 has moments of brilliance, yet the entire product is a shallow ending to the popular franchise. While some of the film’s missteps are a product of the source material, the film never truly separates itself from the book’s errors. This can be clearly seen in the film’s bloated resolution, nearly matching the book’s prose.
Score: 6.5
