REVIEW: THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY- PART 2

In the eighth grade I, to no one's surprise who knows me now, was involved in a book club at my middle school, where you could take your lunch to the library (I can't even do that in college!) and discuss newly released books or popular books coming out; you didn't even have to read a book a week. It wasn't a club, it was an excuse for outcasts to get out of the cafeteria. But a memory that rests so vividly in my mind is hearing about "The Hunger Games" for the first time. It was in 2009, "Catching Fire" was set to come out in the proceeding weeks, and in anticipation of that they described the premise of "THG": in a dystopian world (isn't that always how books we read in middle school started?) a girl takes her sister's place to take part in a deadly series of "games" her corrupt government has set up to keep the 99% in their place. Honestly I thought it sounded ridiculous.
Then my freshman year in high school I gave it a shot.
Then I couldn't stop reading it.
Then I immediately CONSUMED "Catching Fire."
And I don't know this for sure: there's a psychological term for this that I can't recall, but it ultimately means I might be full of crap, but I could've sworn at the time of my reading "The Hunger Games" I pictured a little known actress named Jennifer Lawrence because I'd seen her performance in Winter's Bone and it bore a resemblance to Katniss Everdeen. I swear it. Though I had someone completely different from Josh Hutcherson in my mind from Peeta. I remember dislking the casting at first. The boy from Bridge to Terabithia?

Now of course these characters, like it or not, will be ingrained in our memories with Lawrence and Hutcherson for as long as they may reign in Hollywood. I'm more worried for Josh though, one Academy Award and a lottery-winning luck of career choices later, Jennifer Lawrence as become one of our most beloved thespians of the 21st century. Watching Part 2 only solidified that title for me. I kicked myself later for having the thought "Wow, she doesn't smile much." Given Katniss' circumstances I first off would've died immediately in the first movie, but had I survived I would've curled up and probably Haymitch-ed myself out of every bar in the Panem district. So yeah, it's okay she doesn't smile much. Over and over again Lawrence has proved how badly she fought for this role and how much she has delivered to the fans who this character is supposed to be. Loyal, conflicted, a hero, a piece in everyone's games. It's highly commendable.

The action kicks off immediately after Part 1; I love that they don't waste time with "Last time, in the Hunger Games..." The editing and special effects team did wonders with Phillip Seymour Hoffman's absence, not only is there a subtle tribute to him at the very end, but when he is called for at the end to deliver something very critical to Katniss, the HG team was wise to give that role to Woody Harrelson's Haymitch, another constant delight throughout who gets fairly sidelined amidst the wholly Katniss-focused installment. Most characters take the backseat here (except Pollux, who will literally steal your heart), actually, and to director Francis Lawrence's heavy use of suspense that makes this seem more of an action thriller than the rest. If one of Part 1's flaws was filler before the grand finale, then that's still acceptable. Where that film focused on the build-up to the revolution, this film is the revolution. Even with its flaws that mostly pertain to differences from it and its source material, after seeing it twice already I can vouch that it is a more than suitable ending for this epic franchise. The only games the audience will have to play is how many times this talented cast and crew can make you weep in one sitting.

Rating: 3/4 stars

P.S. Stupid note: Gale says "Yeah, I haven't slept in days" with no bags under his eyes, contempt in his voice or altogether hatred for everything/everyone around him. Up your game, Liam Hemsworth.