The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2
★★★★★
Release Date: Nov. 20, 2015
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Runtime: 137 minutes

With over a year since the last release in “The Hunger Games” series, viewers highly anticipated the final installment of the epic franchise. The enthusiastic fan base of this huge movie chain convinced the concluding movie to end on a note that satisfied its almost cult-like following. The final movie, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two,” delivered; it was riveting and full of life, emotion, panic and action. From beginning to end there was no time wasted and no moment was dull and lackluster.

The movie hardly strays from the novel, which pleased long-time enthusiasts who enjoyed the read, but for those who have not read the books the movie also stands on its own. The grippingly anxious and constantly moving story and action still grasps the attention of even those who are familiar with how the story ends. Readers might expect to miss out on the suspense of the movie due to being aware of what will happen, but even knowing the plot does not lessen the feeling of fear and apprehension that the movie imparts.

Almost immediately viewers are drawn in as though there had been no gap in between the movies and are rapt within the first half hour. This movie picks up right where “Mockingjay Part 1” left off, beginning with an interaction involving Katniss, played by Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence and Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson. It is a perfect scene to begin with seeing as many fans were anxiously waiting to see how the pair had progressed from the broken state “Part 1” left them in. Fans would have been annoyed if the film had procrastinated addressing their story. Peeta is still far from recovery since being brainwashed by the Capital under orders from the president, and he still believes Katniss is an enemy out to kill him.

There is a war going on in Panem as the cruel and ruthless President Snow, creator of the Hunger Games and ruler of the unfair system in which Katniss lives, attempts to crush the uprising. A large population of people from the districts make up the uprising, and their mission is to kill him and take down the society he believes in and built. Actor Donald Sutherland plays the menacing villain of the story. He perfectly conveys this character who is so evil that viewers hope to see his downfall. With an intricate maze of motion-detecting obstacles put in place, if a rebel were to take a wrong step in his pursuit to take the president down he could set off machine guns, flamethrowers or a tidal wave of oil. The system would alert the capital of the rebels’ location if they somehow survived these obstacles. Katniss and the fearless group of rebels attempt to make their way through the seemingly impossible obstacles in their way and move forward to accomplish their goal, defying death just as Katniss did in the Games of the previous films.

The amount of action and suspense made this movie stand out from the rest of the series. Although the premise of each movie was to create a survival thriller vibe, the conclusion really hits the nail on the head. As a result of the emotional attachment to characters that viewers have developed over the years, each blow dealt to Katniss and her rebels adds to the anticipation viewers feel for their favorite characters to survive. After the Games and Snow’s suppression of the spark of uprising left deaths and wreckage in the districts, viewers watch as the world of Panem begins to crumble and hope that Katniss can salvage the few things she has left and save those around her. “Mockingjay Part 2” was action-packed and lived up to its expectations to complete the series on a note that did the franchise justice and successfully satisfied fans.