And so it finally comes to an end, as Francis Lawrence’s Mockingjay-Part 2 brings the curtain down on the big-screen adaptations of Suzanne Collins’ cash cow The Hunger Games. Those who have read and re-read the author’s books can attest to whether these films have been true to their source; as for me I’ve been hooked since the second entry in the franchise when Lawrence took over and applied a firm hand towards concentrating on the central story rather than get bogged down with distracting camera movements and needless spectacle.
He applies the same steady style in this final entry as we find Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her rebellious allies in rather dire straits. Her former partner and maybe boyfriend Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) has been rescued from the clutches of President Snow’s (Donald Sutherland) forces only to reveal he’s been brainwashed to kill her and take down the rebellion. Meanwhile, it becomes increasingly obvious that the leader of the rebellion, President Coin (Julianne Moore), has an alternate agenda as she regulates Katniss to the role of being nothing more than a symbol of their struggle in order to keep her out of the way in her quest for power.
To borrow a famous cinematic phrase, nobody puts Katniss in a corner and before you know it, she’s gone rogue with Peeta, Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and a few select rebel troops to take down Snow once and for all. The bulk of the film is made up of this quest as the group is slowly whittled down, having to endure a seemingly endless barrage of firefights, battles, explosions, and ambushes and, of course, last minute rescues. It all becomes a bit tedious and only Lawrence’s ability to keep things moving and his casts’ conviction keeps this from becoming a completely dreadful affair.
One thing that has separated the Games films from similar franchises is the sense that the stakes are high and the situation dire throughout. There’s no comic relief to help ease the tension and no character is immune to suffering physical, emotional and psychological injury. This lends an adult flavor to the series that succeeds in maintaining a sense of validity and timeliness in its unerring conviction to point out the inherent corruption that comes with any government. Credit screenwriters Peter Craig, Danny Strong and Lawrence for toeing the line, as this entry has no shortage of tragedy, leaving audiences with the briefest of happy endings, one that’s tinged with sadness and jars with the overall tone of the franchise.
As has been the case since the first entry in the series, Lawrence is the straw that stirs this dystopic drink, her sincerity far greater than the material deserves, helping to elevate it out of its run-of-the-mill roots by giving us a flesh-and-blood character we could root for, cry with and fight through. Only Tom Cruise matches her in terms of the intense conviction she brings to any role she takes and her efforts here, in the end, are not in vain. Mockingjay – Part 2 is far from perfect – it’s much too long, repeats itself and key characters are unceremoniously cast to the side – but it successfully showcases a vital, strong heroine for a new age, whose independent spirit shines through the distractions and detours that threaten to obscure it.
