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.Â
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. Â
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. Â
This article appears in Nov 12-18, 2015.
