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Written by Treva Flores
Three books, four movies and seven years later, the girl who took the world by storm has finally gotten her happily ever after.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” was released in theaters on Nov. 20 as the finale for the movie franchise.
It started right where “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1” left off, with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) healing from her near death experience when Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) tried to kill her.
President Snow (Donald Sutherland) had used Tracker jacker venom (a type of poisonous wasp with venom that causes powerful, terrifying hallucinations) in order to make Peeta afraid of Katniss and try to destroy her.
The movie primarily focused on Katniss as she liberated the rebels of Panem to take down Snow.
The film concentrated on Katniss’ struggle with the value of life and death as she made it her sole mission to be the one who assassinates Snow.
All while this is happening, there is an exceeding pressure for Katniss to choose between Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), who protected her family for her while she was in the games, and Peeta who was by her side for the Hunger Games, protecting her life.
As someone who has never read “The Hunger Games” trilogy, I found this last film to be disappointing.
The first three movies provided excellent setup and excitement that built up to an ending that just didn’t do the heroine justice.
Lawrence and Hutcherson did phenomenal in portraying their characters.
They had the most character development in this last film and were absolutely stunning as they portrayed anger, sadness and even hopelessness.
Peeta’s story popped out the most as he tried to remember his true memories of Katniss.
He seemed like a completely different character altogether yet it worked for the duration of the film.
Katniss on the other hand was facing various trials of hardship as she loses some of her most beloved friends and family.
Lawrence’s switch from the composed, self-confident front that Katniss puts on for others to the vulnerable, heartbroken girl she really is was effortless and highly emotional. Lawrence truly is the perfect fit for Katniss.
As for the rest of the actors, they didn’t seem to have any major parts in the film other than keeping Katniss alive.
It felt like a huge waste of potential for each of the characters and unjust as many people sacrificed themselves for her.
The special effects, acting and drama were spectacular in this movie, but the love story felt overdone.
The whole point of this series is overthrowing an unjust government and giving power to the people, but Hollywood seemed to glamorize the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale.
In the end, Katniss makes her final decision and gets her happy ending with the one she truly loved all along.
This ending felt unfitting for her character as she abandons everyone she ever loved and has a subtle empty look in her eyes that was never there before.
The movie itself dragged on in some parts yet recaptured my attention in others. The decision to turn the third book into a two-part movie was unnecessary seeing as the third movie had felt long as well.
The pacing could have been a little faster because the main reason these movies do so well is the action and adventure Katniss goes through.
In the end, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2” fell short for the beloved heroine as her story turned into a typical fairytale ending.
