"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 2"

Title: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 2

Director: Francis Lawrence

Writer: Peter Craig, Danny Strong (screenplay), Suzanne Collins (adaptation and novel)

Category: Sci-fi, Adventure

Duration: 137 min

Rate: 

Fourth and last installment of the acclaimed franchise from the book trilogy The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 2 is the closing chapter of a well adapted film that was able to translate and in some parts even make better Suzanne Collins' work.

Directed by Lawrence, the story starts where it left off in the last movie. The rebellion has started and all the Districts are fighting together to get rid of President Snow and his oppressive regime. The Capitol now is under attack and Katniss Everdeen, now more than ever, has to show to everyone that she really is the strength and voice of the oppressed population of Panem. However, deceive lies everywhere and Katniss has to decide who can she really trust in this final battle.

Since this is the last movie of the franchise the cast and crew already worked together in the past projects and knew well how to work to bring to life another great production. The actors were able to reconfirm their commitment and understanding of their role in the movies while the director and screenwriters once again had the chance to polish Suzanne Collins' book and create a great movie adaptation.

The main concern with this last installment was that dividing the story in two parts was going to be a waste, since all the action happens when the third book is halfway through. I feared that by making two movies the first part was going to be boring and the second one hard to follow. However, in both cases, Francis Lawrence as a director was fundamental to highlight all the best part of the book and bring them to life on the screen.

Even though Mockingjay part 2 at the beginning tents to be quite slow, the pace starts to build up along with the story. The crescendo is steady and even though towards the middle of the movie there is a lot of action happening, the audience is able to keep up with all the facts without getting confused. The cinematography is clear and doesn't rush through the scenes and this was something that happened quite a lot in the book itself since it was action packed at every page, making it hard for the reader to keep up with the story.

What is analysed in the story is how hard it is to fight for what you believe in. That in the fight we might lose someone we love, but vengeance can't be the fuel that is pushing a revolution. There is a strong bond between every character. Loyalty and friendship are highlighted and trust is put under test in an exaggerated representation of our reality. The cast had the responsibility to bring this message across and they all did a great job in doing so.

Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson brought great depth to their performances. Hutcherson understood his character completely even in all his complexity. Lawrence once again showed her commitment to Katniss Everdeen, revealing once again her strength as well as her vulnerability. Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, as well as Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson gave great support with their truthful performances. In its entirety the cast was a well oiled machine working together to bring to life their characters.

The only sore point about the production was the inevitable absence of Philip Seymour Hoffman. In order to fill the scenes that he was supposed to shoot before his tragic passing, the crew had to work in post production by adding CGI images or recurring to the other actors to give voice to his lines, like the scene in which Haymitch reads Plutarch's letter to Katniss. His presence in the movie was missed, but the final result was still of great quality.

All in all, thanks to a powerful OST, a flawless characters' interpretation and understanding of the whole cast and Francis Lawrence's good leadership, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 2 is a good movie capable of bringing to the screen a faithful, and sometimes even better, adaptation of the book.

Till next time,

Fred.


Here's the trailer: