Movie Review: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2
Director: Francis Lawrence
Film series: The Hunger Games
Adapted from: Mockingjay
Story by: Suzanne Collins
November 16, 2015 (USA)

PG-13, 2h 17m

Fantasy/Science fiction

Lionsgate Films

official website

Realizing the stakes are no longer just for survival, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) teams up with her closest friends, including Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Finnick for the ultimate mission. Together, they leave District 13 to liberate the citizens of war-torn Panem and assassinate President Snow, who's obsessed with destroying Katniss. What lies ahead are mortal traps, dangerous enemies and moral choices that will ultimately determine the future of millions.

This is the movie we all hoped Mockingjay Part 1 would have been. If you haven't read the books then prepare for a very dark and emotionally heavy movie. There were a few parts that dragged, but there were lots of big action fight scenes.

This is a movie that is appreciated on the big screen. So if you've seen the first two (let's forget part 1) then it is worth a matinee price.

3.75 "arrow to the heart" sheep

SharonS

Double Sheep Movie Review: The Hunger Games: MockingJay - Part 1

The Hunger Games: MockingJay - Part 1

Directed by: Francis Lawrence, Francis Lawrence II

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 2hr 5min

Staring: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Sam Claflin, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Elizabeth Banks, 

Plot: 

The worldwide phenomenon of The Hunger Games continues to set the world on fire with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, which finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in District 13 after she literally shatters the games forever. Under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and the advice of her trusted friends, Katniss spreads her wings as she fights to save Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and a nation moved by her courage. The novel on which the film is based is the third in a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins that has over 65 million copies in print in the U.S. alone. 

*Katie's review, who did not read the books* 

Maybe I should have watched the previous Hunger Games movie right before heading to the theater to see this one. I say this, because I could not remember who certain characters were. Or why and how they got out of the main city to district 13. Like who was Sara again? And how did Finnick play into all this? Plus, Effie is now magically in district 13…but why? It's not really explained. So maybe she got out and went there, but her of all people I could not believe would abandon the luxury of the main city. Just to live underground and on the run. 

Anyway, all that being said I did enjoy this film overall. But I say that with reservations. I mean, how much can you "enjoy" a film that's about millions of oppressed people who are hunted and killed like animals. Where kids have to fight each other to the death no less, it's hard to be all "hell yeah that was a good film!" then fist pump the air. Just seems kinda out of place for the occasion. 

But I digress. As we get into the latest ongoings of Katniss and crew, we find that a major rebellion has now started. The working people don't want to be held down any longer. They are fighting. Most are making the ultimate sacrifice, but better to die fighting for something righteous then die for nothing. 

The film felt very dark for most of the story, but that's pretty much Hunger Games edict. Tedious is a word that comes to mind. Long spots of lulling, then some action and then back to more lull. This is one of those cases where the trailer shows you pretty much all the most exciting parts. The epic "If we burn, you burn with us!" (see video below) That's a big moment in the film. But I saw the trailer 10 times already! 

There's a ton of uneventful moments. I can't even say there was great dialog to fill those voids. No, most was self reflection moments. Looking out into the distance. Waiting. Picking over cafeteria food. Playing a game of chase the light across the floor you silly cat. You get the idea. More action! More development in the plot! More something! 

Sure, the end gets epic. But that's the end of the film! This was a 2 hour movie that wasted time and delivered little. See it if you like this world and want to keep up with what's doing. But really, you can wait around for the DVD. 

Getting 3 1/2 Sheep

KD 

*Sharon's review, who read the books* 

I'll make this quick. I was disappointed. It was nothing but Katniss looking horrified and then distraught. Mockingjay is the last book, and some pretty big things happen, but it seems they are saving it all for the fourth movie. There is one important event reveal in part one, the Peta story line. The rest is filler. Skipping this movie and reading some spoilers online instead will do you. Save your money for part two.

2 Sheep (one star because I like Jennifer Lawrence and another because Thor's brother is nice to look at.)

SharonS

Movie Review: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
146 min - Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi - 22 November 2013 (USA)
Director: Francis Lawrence
Writers: Simon Beaufoy (screenplay), Michael Arndt(screenplay)
Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem.
official website

Holy flaming Mocking jay! What a fabulous movie. I took my 12 year old daughter (she has read all three books) and two of her school friends to see it at the IMAX. It is on the edge of your seat action once they hit the arena. But be warned, it is  intense with a capital "I". I spent 45 minutes of the movie sitting in the lobby with a one of Holly's friends because it was to violent. Once her mom picked her up I went back in. I missed the announcement of the Quarter Quell and the reaping, but I will be going back this weekend to see what I missed.

Jennifer Lawrence was awesome in her role as Katniss. Gale was looking good as usual, but it was Peeta's time to shine and with the addition of Finnick, your tween daughters will be in heaven.

Catching Fire is emotionally powerful and brutally violent. It is definitely the upper end of PG-13, but excellent entertainment. The theater broke into applause as the credits rolled. Worth the money to see it at the theater.

5 "tick-tock" Sheep

Sharon Stogner

Sheep Movie Review: The Hunger Games

***Warning this review is filled with spoilers***

The Hunger Games, directed by Gary Ross, stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth (Yup, Thor's brother!), Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson and Lenny Kravitz. This is definitely not a feel good movie you watch on a lazy weekend; no, this is an emotionally wrecking film where children hunt down and slaughter each other on live TV. Yet from this brutality rises our heroine Katniss, the gal who won't go down for the thrills of a society littered with corruption.

Plot:

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

First and foremost let me say that I did not read these books so this review is coming from a strictly movie-only perspective. That being said here's some of the things I liked: Liam Hemsworth, need I say more? The costumes throughout this film are outrageous and over the top, yet at the same time they are somehow incredible and completely consuming. The hair, mustaches and yellow eyeliner were amazing. The story itself is one that is absolutely emotion-packed from the top, down to the tiniest parts of its core and for that alone I have to give this one a major bow for taking me on one heck of a ride! Jennifer Lawrence knocked this one out the park with her stellar performance! Truly an amazing actress whose performance alone had me buying into the movie's story.

On the downside, shaky camera syndrome is a plague on modern films and should be banned from most in my opinion! It's extremely frustrating to be deeply involved in a story and suddenly have the whole perspective thrashing about so forcefully that you have no idea who just killed who. At least give us barf bags under the seat! Our lead male, "Peeta bread" as I'm calling him, was a total pansy. He turns on the woman he confesses to loving for a long time right after the game gets going. I get that it's a savage game to the death and maybe he was playing nice with the other kids just to get by, but there are always choices other than teaming up with the nasties. Aside from his traitorous heart, he comes across as such a total wimp that Katniss has to keep safe all the time. Yet another reason why Thor's brother was clearly the better choice here.

With a PG-13 rating I was blown away with the amount of savagery and knife-oriented gore. A movie like this and have to wonder just how far we've come in the film industry that an action blood bath extravaganza can pass with a lower rating just to get more butts in the seats. It boggles the mind!

The overall storyline is given to the audience in gradual doses, but by the end I was still lost, so the rest I had to call and ask Sharon about. (Since she read the books) Maybe it's assumed that just about everyone has read these books, but more info on the past of characters' and the overall plot would have done a lot of good here. It wasn't very clear how the games came to be or why so many districts are so poor. There also were some major mother-daughter issues going on between Katniss and her mother, but no real dialog between the two explaining why. The biggest flaw for me was why on earth would anyone let their kids be put into this game in the first place?! I mean come on, you all outnumber the guys with the guns! Yeah some might die, but think of the greater good here people!

So for the folks that want to watch a heart-wrenching story that's filled with corruption, nail biting action, kids killing kids, murder and hallucinating bees then check out the punch-in-the-gut The Hunger Games. It will leave you both loving and hating it at the same time.

Getting 3 and 1/2 tree climbing Sheep

KD

Sheep Review: The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

I think that I first heard of the Hunger Games about a year and a half ago through Ronni Selzer. To paraphrase her critical analysis of the book, "ZOMFG IT WAS AWESOME!!!".

Naturally, with such an endorsement, I had to look into the title but was largely turned off by the synopsis that I read. The whole thing sounded like a western interpretation of the Japanese novel (and later film) Battle Royale. Battle Royale is set in a dystopian alternate universe where once per year some number of students are forced to participate in a gladiatorial fight to the death. When I watched the film, it left me feeling both disgusted and desirous of a hard drink. Not really the content you want in a Young Adult book. Colored by this similarity, I let Suzanne Collins's title languish in my to-read list.

We fast forward the year and a half to Christmas of this year. I am flying out to the east coast for the holidays and on the plane ride over, downloaded the first book to my Kindle Fire. I have to report that I've never had a coast to coast flight zip by as quickly as this one did. I was page turning every moment I was allowed to use my electronic devices!

While I was away, I was able to complete all three books. Therefore, my review will cover the entire series. I'll try very hard not to drop spoilers. This means that my review will lack in specifics, as I concentrate on my reaction to the books, rather than my opinions of specific plot points.

Enough personal history. Let's talk books.

Of the three books, I'd say that the first book was my favorite. Here we're introduced to Ms. Katniss Everdeen, her family and the lives they lead in District 12, a mining community set in the distant future. Every year, two children between the ages of 12 and 18 are selected from each of 12 districts to participate in The Hunger Games. The games are a fight to the death in an artificial wilderness arena. In Thunderdome terms, 24 kids enter. One kid leaves. The story here falls squarely into what I call teen empowerment fiction. We have a 16 year-old girl who doesn't quite fit into the standard teen mold. She's tested against the will of the adult establishment and wins out through sheer wit and bravado. If you read and enjoyed the "His Dark Materials" series (think "Golden Compass"), I think that you'll find a little bit of Lyra Belacqua in Suzanne Collins's protagonist.

In the second book, aptly named Catching Fire, we experience consequence. Collins forces us to see through the haunted post-traumatic eyes of her characters even as they face down very grown-up problems. We learn that conclusions that we jumped to in the first book are naive. We find sympathy for characters we previously considered inexcusable. We find that the reality of the first book is really just a small part of a much larger, flawed system. In the last few pages... Katniss wakes up to find her world turned upside down, inside out, and irreparably torn asunder. Because our culture has an almost Pavlovian conditioned need for happy endings, bitter-sweet closings like Han Solo being frozen in carbonite or Neo falling into an unresponsive coma tend to leave us reflective and uncomfortable.

Although I really enjoyed the final book, I felt like the pacing seemed rushed. It was almost like Collins was wearied by the emotional toll she inflicted on her world ... so she wrote to finish rather than to story tell. I couldn't help but think of the carnage of J.K. Rowling's Deathly Hallows as this book rolled to a close. I'm no stranger to stories involving warfare, but both Rowling and Collins focused very heavily on the internal damages that their characters accumulate. I'm reluctant to conclude that the similarity has anything to do with the authors' genders, but it's interesting to think about a perceived cost of war gender gap. What do you all think? Feel free to comment!

In my opinion the dénouement, which happens right at the end of Mockingjay, is confusing at first. After thinking about it, though, It felt satisfying and really was the only thing that could have happened which fits Katniss's personality and state of mind.

Unlike, say, Tolkien who doesn't seem to want to end a story... so he lets it drag on for 4 or 5 happy endings... Collins exits her series in a precise, and gratifying conclusion. We also get a very cathartic epilogue.

For those of you who don't already know, we have a movie to look forward to! March 23rd! Here's the official trailer:


I recognize all of the scenes in the trailer as specific scenes in the book, so hopefully that means it's true to the plot.

I give this series four action packed sheep.
Richard