Rank: 4/5
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2,” the final installment in the series, is an absolute no-brainer hit, complete with twists, turns and suspense.
Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, remains true to her original ideologies of freedom for Panem through intense moments of throbbing heartache and dislodged aggression. Lawrence progressed as an actress and is filmed as a definitive actress truly immersed in character.
There’s nothing awkward or choppy about her role, or purpose in comparison to the first film, and it’s good to see this level of realism has rubbed of on the rest of the cast. The camera work is grand, spreading the tension and urgency of the film to new focuses without compromising any actors integrity or seeming too far fetched.
As the second installment of “Mockingjay” begins, the audience willingly dives into the heat of the moment, feeling broken and tired as the film ramps up the dystopian edge and shoves the emotional ties into an obvious position.
There are moments when the performance of dying characters seems to outshine the living and spark a deeper vantage point to increase the odds of failure. While the core of the film boils down to many climaxes and devastating loss, there is a brightness in the resiliency of platonic and romantic love for humankind.
All seems lost several times throughout the movie and complexity takes over, allowing easy under-estimation of several main characters until the true climax of the movie takes hold.
Sacrifice and the ability to change for the better are visually, sonically and emotively expressed, allowing several martyr characters to become a primary representation of the rebel cause. The theme of violence runs deep, but as Katniss loses more friends and allies along the way, each minute is marked with a hunger for survival and justice that rivals several action films in its class.
Peeta’s attempts to steel himself against the horrors of war and each Hunger Game is admirable and drives an crucial plot element, helping Katniss feed of his longing to retain true self and purpose.
Many characters, such as Gale and Primrose serve as emotional anchors for his sense of self without rendering him helpless and untrustworthy, sparking a change of heart for Katniss that rebounds and eventually settles as she can afford to relax during the closing scene.