The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015)

What a disgrace, was buzzing for this and the film literally is shocking, don't even bother watching even if you've seen the other 3

It's depressing to me that most of the reviews for this movie show a general ignorance about what the books they're based on are really about, especially considering that they were written for a young adult audience (and so aren't particularly complicated in plot). The films were blockbuster films, which means that they edited the base story to appeal to a wider audience, so I would not expect them to be fine pieces of art, rather geared toward the goal of entertainment. I think the film makers were trying to balance the need for blockbuster elements (like action and suspense) with the themes of the novels, and the popularity of both mediums and huge budget created a lot of varying expectations. Which is probably why you see that those on both sides were at least a little disappointed. Personally, the third movie (Mockingjay Part 1) was my favorite, because even though it departed from the novels more (literally), it was a more enjoyable film, because it seemed to best match the spirit of the book. I gave this a 9 because it was true to the books in story and theme, but I credit its bad performance for others on trying to make it too similar to other films (like other war / epic films, or even superhero movies). Unlike what some reviewers seemed to have incorrectly inferred, this franchise is not making any particular political statement (or taking a political side). The story itself has no direct link to any current events (except that it is about war, and there are wars in the world). It does not draw any parallels whatsoever between the "rebels" in the movie and any rebel groups in the real world. It is a dystopian story, and it is not based on a real place; Panem is a fictional place (although it has been specified that Panem is North America in the distant future). Being a pacifist, I like to think of this as an anti-war movie, but that would also be incorrect, since some of its main themes are that people ought not be sacrificed in vain, that social progress can be made through war (although always with personal costs), and the importance that the initial cause for war is addressed through it.The main theme of The Hunger Games trilogy is the human tendency to have wars and the importance of preventing them in the first place. There is also a strong focus on how heroes are made (Katniss in this case), through chance and circumstance, and are not necessarily born. The importance of this work in a cultural context, is the portrayal of a female character as a genuine hero, a complex and intelligent character with her own motivations, who becomes thrown into her position as a victim. Rarely today do we actually see women portrayed this way in mainstream media, and although from the book we know that her father had an effect on her, and many male and female characters take part in affecting her, her main motivations and personality seem to be mostly independent of male influences.Another primary theme, especially highlighted by the films is that of the relationship of media with the culture. This was probably the most well delivered and clear cut theme, as it blends seamlessly into the story. Plutarch (Greek) is the character most closely associated with this theme, as he seems to have orchestrated the events, in a way, as "gamemaker". Collins has stated that Ancient Greece and Rome were inspirations for The Hunger Games, and plutarchy itself is defined as when the ruling classes are controlled by wealth. And in this case, the wealthy ruling class (as well as the rebels), use media as a way to control the general public. The idea of media being used to not just immobilize and control the masses, but also to affect the public narrative (and define what is true and therefore have power), is an important theme.Although the acting wasn't the highlight of these films, it has to be said that Jennifer Lawrence had a huge influence on this franchise. From the first movie, for which she rightly became so famous for, she defined and changed the Katniss character forever. She was not an obvious choice for this part, but how she interpreted it ultimately drove the franchise to great success. This was always a good story, with irony running deep, but Lawrence gave life and depth to Katniss. Sure, there are a lot of complaints to be made about important plot points that don't transfer well to screen, but with Lawrence they did get it right in the transition from one medium to another, with necessary sacrifices (no pun intended).

This is definitely an underrated movie and I feel the reason is because of the bittersweet end. Unfortunately many people don't recognize the undertones of the whole story: - This is a dystopian tragedy with a great degree of realism. - Katniss Everdeen is not a superhero. She is strong-willed but is also very vulnerable. She experiences fear, sorrow and the whole series does not portray her as an invincible hero, which is why I love her character. In fact, she is not given any special treatment by the rebellion forces but is well-respected for being a symbol of the resistance. - President Snow is not your typical all-bad one-dimensional villain. He is a dictator when it comes to his policies towards the districts, but at the same time he genuinely care about the well-being of his proximal subjects, i.e. the people of the Capitol. This is clearly seen when he provided shelter to all Capitol's refugees and despite knowing he lost the war, he stayed in his mansion amongst his people and did not flee. - President coin on the other hand is an antagonist who was introduced as a protagonist. She is smart, cunning and manipulative. She knows that media play a major role in winning the masses and her propaganda machine was the reason she won. - The war wasn't only about power and military might. Tactics and propaganda played a major role. This is why this movie is intelligent. The rebels weren't stronger, but were smarter. - The only thing that bothered me was that Katniss cried to Rue's death more than Prim's. However, I can understand that with everything going on in the aftermath of Capitol's fall, there wasn't much room for sentiments. We do eventually see her break into tears in a moment of silence and loneliness back in her house in district 12. This is one of those movies series that leaves you feeling emptiness after it concludes. You want more but you know there isn't any. It does conclude in an unpredictable yet very satisfactory way, and that is what I love about it. Overall, excellent acting, cinematography, soundtracks, storytelling and attention to details. I am not giving it 10/10 because of some minor flaws here and there.

I was glad it saves the part 1 from disgrace. Lol!Part 1 is very boring and not worth the money we spend to movie house. I was impressed but it is emotionally inconsistent just like a korean films - don't get me wrong I love Korean Films. Anyway, really saves the best for last. Thanks!