Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Plot: Katniss must kill President Snow for good, otherwise Panem will remain under his rule forever.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you'll be fully aware that splitting a novel across multiple movies has become all the rage. While Harry Potter nailed the split and The Hobbit failed miserably, it's time for Francis Lawrence to send The Hunger Games franchise out with a bang - but is he able to do it with only half a novel?
Following on from the rather dark and morbid final scene of Mockingjay - Part 1, we find Katniss ready for war at the start of Part 2. Jennifer Lawrence is as emotionally captivating as you can imagine (and more). The Oscar-winner masters the pre-battle speeches, moments of loss and gigantic action sequences like a true heroine. It's fair to say that after four giant blockbuster movies as Katniss Everdeen, Lawrence has truly made this franchise her own; and while the remainder of the cast remain very much in support mode, they are not without their standout performances.
Donald Sutherland as President Snow remains one of the most infuriating yet fantastic villains in recent years. Sutherland doesn't need to raise his voice once, as his truly punishing stare and haunting presence fills the entire screen (which has become increasingly rare in Hollywood blockbusters). Josh Hutcherson finally shines as the brainwashed and very much troubled Peeta Mellark. Meanwhile, fan favourites Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, and Woody Harrelson as Haymith Abernathy, return for very sweet but awfully short scenes. With the acting box well and truly ticked for the grand finale, is this the most satisfying conclusion for worldwide audiences? The answer may well be mixed.
The movie's IMDb rating currently sits at 7.0 out of 10, while RottenTomatoes holds a 70% approval rating. Looking back, Mockingjay - Part 1 forced the franchise to stoop to a new box office low. To counteract this, Part 2 ramps up the action to a whole new level. Director Francis Lawrence has turned the Capitol into a giant arena, with boobie traps around every corner. From zombie mutts to giant machine guns, the final hour plays out like a giant goose chase, as Katniss and co. race to President Snow's mansion before it's too late. Most notably, a sequence involving Katniss and Gale marching towards Snow's Mansion is one of the most intense and perfectly assembled in the entire series.
With all that said, this may not be the conclusion non-book readers were hoping for. With the 137-minute running time dedicating itself entirely to the original source material, moviegoers may well be disappointed with the lack of Return-Of-The-King-styled action. However, for the dedicated readers of the book, the more emotionally charged script leads for a refreshingly different finish, as the action takes a backseat to the story line.
In Conclusion: Though Catching Fire may well be the strongest entry in the series, Francis Lawrence steers The Hunger Games to its truly grand finale, with one of the most faithful young-adult adaptations to date. With its political and cultural backdrop becoming increasingly significant in today's culture, the story of Katniss Everdeen will go down as one of Hollywood's greatest.
