The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 Review

We are at an end of an era. The Hunger Games comes to an end with Mockingjay – Part 2. After four years, the most popular young adult novel franchise since Harry Potter concludes its final chapter. Does the ending justify the journey? Let's find out!

At this point, complaining about the final book being split into two parts is pointless. It happened, and now we have Mockingjay – Part 2, the final film that brings the franchise to an end. Personally, Part 1 was not a bad movie. It presented a few interesting ideas and served as a prologue of sorts so that Part 2 could focus on the finale. Unlike many, I have never read the books, so any changes to the source material are irrelevant, and I do not consider myself a fan of the franchise, but rather a casual viewer.

Directed by: Francis Lawrence

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Drama,

Release Date: November 20, 2015

Running Time: 137 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Majorly intense action sequence, Effective jump scares, Peeta is likable for the first time ever, Mostly strong and poignant conclusion, Jennifer Lawrence is as good as always, Impressive CGI creatures, Finnick is cool, Grand scale and scope,

The Bad: Problematic pacing, One or two dramatic scenes are unintentionally funny, Did we ever care about some of these characters?

Plot: 8.0/10- Being a "Part 2," Mockingjay suffers from obvious pacing issues from the start. The movie opens where we left off, and continues the story towards it ultimate endgame. The problem is that it feels like the plot gets going and then abruptly stops and does that several throughout the film. The pacing is not jarring to the point of ruining the experience, but some viewers might be bored with the slower pacing. Despite being split, "Part 2" does feel like a complete film as the central conflict would be undermined if reduced to the second half of a film.

Otherwise, the plot brings the franchise to a poignant end. How the larger plot points resolve is surprisingly well executed and delivers a few unexpected twists. The film almost exclusively takes place from Katniss' perspective, even more so than previous films, which creates a sense of immersion, almost as if you are floating over her the entire film. 

The ending does drag a bit by being about 5 minutes too long, but too much resolution at the end of a story is always better than not enough. However, there are a few missed opportunities where the characters do not make the obvious and logical choice. 

Characterization: 7.6/10- Katniss Everdeen is a decent character, who is made far more likable thanks to Jennifer Lawrence. Compared to other franchise protagonists like Harry Potter or Frodo, the viewer does not have nearly as strong an emotional connection to her, unless you read the novels. With that said, she is a capable protagonist that you want to succeed and comparing the Hunger Games to those classics is unfair.

For the first time ever, Peeta is actually likable, and we finally see why maybe, just maybe, why Katniss might like him. But seriously, Peeta has character depth for the first time, because he is not just the "Nice Guy." Part 2 manages to wrap up the stories of the various supporting characters in a satisfying way, although it would have been great if Haymitch could have been involved in the finale. However, the only issue is that we, or at least I, never cared for the supporting cast nearly as much as the cast of Harry Potter, for example. When characters died, there is little emotional connection, but otherwise, the characters were solid.

Direction: 8.5/10- The streets of Panem offer the most grand and interesting backdrop of the entire franchise. The towering builds and rubble creates the perfect location for the story, and visually, it looked real. Francis Lawrence does an excellent job at directing the action sequences, or rather the one real action sequence. There is one prolonged sequence that is easily the most intense and entertaining battle of the entire franchise. It is intense, fast paced, well directed, and a little frightening. It even made little kids scream several times in the theater! My only issue with the sequence is that enemies seem somewhat out of place in the world the series setup.

Unfortunately, the other action sequences are too short because as soon as they get going, they come to an abrupt end, which is a real shame since the director seemed to finally grasp how to create an exciting action set piece.

Acting: 7.9/10- Jennifer Lawrence is all around great as expected, except during the crying scenes, which always seem a little more humorous than dramatic. Josh Hutcherson is legitimately excellent for the first time ever, as his performance adds depth to the previous boring character. He certainly wins most surprisingly good performance this year. The rest of the cast is strong as expected, with no noticeable weak points.

Special effects: 8.5/10- Without a doubt, the best looking and most impressive Hunger Games film, Part 2 delivers high quality special effects with some of the best CGI humanoid creatures to date. Even some of the best effects have a sense that the creatures are not actually in physical contact with the actors, but somehow, the CGI guys behind the film do an exceptional job. Also, the streets of Panem are very believable to the point where telling the difference between the physical sets and green screen is not easy.

Soundtrack: 6.5/10- James Newton Howard score is fine, albeit completely forgettable.

Humor: N/A- Aside from a few lines from Haymitch, Part 2 is not a humorous film.

Entertainment Value: 8.5/10- While some might be bored by the pacing issues, the story was involving, and I was invested in how everything would end, and in terms of entertainment, it did not disappoint.

Overall: 8.1/10- The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 brings the franchise to an end in a satisfying way. Due to pacing issues, it might not even touch the level of the classics like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, but as a whole, The Hunger Games is entertaining series of films with interesting ideas, and thankfully, Part 2 resolves everything well enough for me to feel like the journey was worthwhile. Essentially, if you watched the previous films, watch this one; you have no reason not to finish it.

Closing comments: As far as franchises go, The Hunger Games is in the upper middle portion. None of the films fall into "Classic" territory, but, as a whole, it is an entertaining franchise that will be worth watching again at some point. 

Recommended for: Anyone that watched the previous films,

Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 Review

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, the first part of the franchise’s finale that continues the story of Katniss Everdeen in the aftermath of the previous film. 

From the onset, the Mockingjay: Part 1 is strikingly different than the previous entries in the franchise. No longer are the Hunger Games themselves the central focus of the film. Now, the name of the game is propaganda in this war of rebellion with the capitol and rebel forces going back and forth with each attacking one another with ad campaigns trying to sway the opinion of the masses.

Surprisingly, at least for non-book readers, Part 1 is not an action film. Unlike usual, I knew next to nothing about the film going in, and yet the movie managed to make the propaganda aspect so entertaining that the lack of action was barely noticeable. For example, I watched the movie with my brother and a friend, both of whom are action junkies, especially when watching a movie in theaters, yet they both enjoyed the film as much as I did, and even more so than the previous Hunger Games movies.

Directed by: Francis Lawrence

Genre: Action, Sci-Fi,

Release Date: November 21, 2014

Running Time: 123 minutes

MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Intriguing propaganda mind games, Satisfying conclusion for a "Part 1," Strong performances across the board, Surprisingly humorous, Great set design, Jennifer Lawrence is as reliable as ever, Shocking plot twists, 

The Bad: Supporting cast is sidelined, Smaller in scale,

Plot: 8.2/10- For a "Part 1" of a two part story, Mockingjay's plot progression was surprisingly fluid and natural. The movie began and ended without a moment feeling out of place. Even though not a lot was necessarily happening, it never became boring or uninteresting, which is even a problem that the previous films suffered from.

Knowing next to nothing of the source material, the several plot twists of the turns are very expected, with one being so shocking that a member of audience “D*NM!” when it happened.

As enjoyable as action movies are, seeing a more intellectual, behind-the-scenes, war going on is not something that you see in movies in the west, or blockbusters in general, and it is a refreshing change of pace. With that said, it is not the most compellingly told or meaningful story of rebellion, but it is well enough executed to be enjoyable. For example, this year's Captain America: The Winter Soldier was able to convey an even more profound political message, yet still be a thrilling action film. 

Being the first half of one story still presents some issues. As entertaining as the events of the film are, at times it felt like an episode of television, because it is still mostly setup for the finale. It is great setup, but it is still like the first two Acts of a larger narrative. Fortunately, the film manages to end in a fashion that is very satisfying, even if it teases the audience every time it cuts to black before the actual endings.

My only other minor issue is that the nature of the story makes the movie feel small in scale. It does not have the feeling of a large scale cinematic epic that Catching Fire had. Of course, this is probably due to this being the first part of a larger story, but it almost felt like high quality television at times.

Characterization: 7.9/10- Whereas previous films focus on a few different characters, Mockingjay: Part 1 is very Katniss centered story. Focusing the story around the main character provides for time to develop the main character. However, after watching a review, someone noted that Katniss lacks progression as a character, and that is kind of true to a point, although Katniss has never been a character that changes all that much, so it was not all that noticeable to me.
Most of the characters from the previous films, plus the new cast of characters, serve their purpose in the narrative, without being actively developed, which is a byproduct of the focus on Katniss. 

Action: 6.5/10- As previously stated, Part 1 is not an action film like the previous entries. This is not a bad thing, but if you were expecting an action blockbuster, this is not going to be it. With that said, there are a few quick action sequences, and Francis Lawrence does an excellent job at making them intense for the five minutes that they last. 

Acting: 8.5/10- Jennifer Lawrence is as reliable as ever as Katniss, even if some of her crying scenes are a bit odd.

Even though the supporting cast is sidelined story wise, the actors certainly make the most of their time with superb performances from almost everyone. All of the returning cast including Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and even Josh Hutcherson give fine performances. Of the new cast, Natalie Dormer as Cressida makes the best impression, even if her screentime is limited as well. 

Special effects: 7.5/10- With the exception of a few scenes, the film is not all that heavy in terms of special effects. However, the special effects that are present are barely noticeable thanks to the high quality CGI. The design of the sets and use of practical effects opposed to CGI and green screen is impression, which gives the film a better sense of reality. 

Soundtrack: 7.9/10- James Newton Howard's score does exactly what it is made to do, compliment the film and set the mood. It is not the most memorable, but it gets the job. The use of a certain song was also surprisingly effective and well utilized. 

Humor: 7.7/10- The film is not all that heavy on humor, but the humor that is present seems natural and well timed.

Entertainment Value: 8.3/10- From beginning to end, the film entertained me. It does not reach the level of audience involvement that other top films of the year have, but it is the type of film that you watch and do not regret paying the price of admission.

Overall: 8.0/10- Despite suffering from the shortcomings that a "Part 1" film entails, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 excels in most other aspects thanks to the superb performances, solid pacing, and managing to provide a satisfying cliffhanger, without feeling as though it is teasing the audience.

Closing comments: As an action film, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 falls short, because that is not what it is trying to be, even if the trailers may suggest otherwise. However, as a propaganda war drama, it succeeds.

Recommended for: Anyone that liked the previous films,

Click here to check out more of my movie reviews.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Mockingjay – Part 1: First Impression

I finally got to see The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, the first part of the Hunger Games' final chapter. My short impression of the movie is that if you liked the previous Hunger Games movies, you should go see Mockingjay – Part 1, because Part 2 is probably going to be all kinds of awesome. Of course, Part 1 is not perfect, and there are some problems that I will discuss in my full review tomorrow. 

With that said, I watched the movie with my brother and a friend, both of whom hated the first Hunger Games, but did like Catching Fire to a degree, and they both enjoyed Mockingjay – Part 1 quite a bit. 

One funny thing that happened in the theater is that when a certain unexpected moment happen, someone in the audience shouted “D*MN!” which made everyone else in the theater laugh. Although, the same guy did start to sing during the movie for a minute, which was odd, but other than that, everyone was thankfully quiet.

On a side note, if you remember by post from last year, Mockingjay filmed in my hometown, and seeing the location in the film was cool, especially since nothing like that has ever happened where I live. If you watched the movie, I am referring to the scenes in and around the hospital in the early part of the movie. You can click here to see the picture that I took of the set.

Please check back tomorrow for my review of the film.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

New Hunger Games Trailer

Yes, I realize that I am late posting the trailer, but better late than never, right? For some reason, Mockingjay: Part 1 has been the only the movie with worthwhile news to post about over the past few weeks. Anyway, we finally have a full trailer with actual footage after the multiple teasers, and I am liking the new direction the series is taking. The movie looks like it is going to be a lot fun! Please comment below and let me know what you think of the trailer, and check back tomorrow for my review of the latest Doctor Who episode.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

First Katniss Poster for Mockingjay

Finally, a Katniss poster for the Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 1 is here, kind of. Well, we do not get to actually see Jennifer Lawrence's face, but her winged armor looks awesome on this new poster. Please comment below and let me know. Also, this has been a really slow week in movie news, but there will be more movie news tomorrow.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

New Hunger Games: Mockingjay Posters

New posters for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay have been released featuring Gale, as well as several new characters. From what I understand, the posters are of a television propaganda group working for the resistance, but of course they are heavily armed. Since I do not want to know any spoilers, I have avoided further details. Among the new cast members includes Game of Thrones and Elementary actress, Natalie Dormer, who plays Cressida in the film. What do you think of the posters? Please comment below and check out the new trailer for another upcoming film that I posted about today by clicking here.

Some how Google created this gif from my pictures automatically! It is actually kind of cool!

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

New Hunger Games: Mockingjay Trailer

After several propaganda teasers, a real Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 1 trailer is here. Sure, this trailer/teaser is certainly short, but it gives us a small bit of the film's rebellion type tone. Considering that rebellion movies are some of my favorites, I hope Mockingjay can pull it off. For some reason, the people climbing trees looks odd (gif below), but other than that, cool teaser. While I am not entirely sure, I think that one of those short clips might be from the scenes filmed in my hometown. I will have to see more before I can say for sure, but it might be. Also, do not forget to check out today's other post about the Legend of Korra by clicking here.

Note: Sorry for not replying to comments lately, my arm is getting worse again.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Teaser Trailer 2

The Capital has released another propaganda viral marketing video for The Hunger Games Mockingjay, but that is not all. Beetee interrupts the broadcast with a message from District 13. To the left of President Snow is a nearly unrecognizable Johanna Mason, who is now blonde. Considering that she was my favorite part of Catching Fire, I hope she gets a bigger role (please don't spoil anything from the books). What do you think of the teaser? Please comment below and let me know.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Teaser Trailer

The first trailer for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 1 is here! In line with other viral marketing teases, this is like an announcement by President Snow to the people of Panem, and Peeta is standing beside Snow! Apparently, readers of the book are not surprised by this revelation, but as someone who has avoided reading the book and spoilers in general. Considering that Catching Fire turned out to be one of the best movies of last year, I am most definitely excited for Mockingjay: Part 1, and I am going to see it in theaters, so it is not like the trailer has to sell me on the movie. While not particularly special, this teaser is better than most teasers. What did you think of the teaser? Please comment below and check back tomorrow for My Movie Bucket-List.

On a sidenote, you may remember that I posted about the Hunger Games: Mockingjay filming in my hometown. While I am not sure if the footage will be used in part one or two of Mockingjay, I am certainly excited to see it, and you can check out the original post with my covertly taken set pictures by clicking here.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.