I’ve heard a lot of complaints about The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. Read the damn books, people. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is completely faithful to the book, and if people no longer like the film series, maybe it is because the real world is becoming too uncomfortably close to our dystopian fantasies so movies like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 are no longer fun for you.
First, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, unlike the dreadful first installment, has effectively portrayed Katniss with all her flaws and fabulousness. Second, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 does an excellent job of comparing and contrasting the futility of loss for boots on the ground versus the exploitation of political leaders in the propaganda. Third, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 flawlessly casts even the minor roles. I need more people to cast Michelle Forbes in everything. Even the cat acted the hell out of that scene. I don’t know many cats that could do what that Maine Coon did. Give that cat an award! Fourth, anytime a movie seems to visually reference Guillermo del Toro, you’re winning. Fifth, how many movies take the time to deal with PTSD challenges and the actual wounds of war. Usually the hero just bounces back from a ridiculous battle with no need for any recovery time. People get seriously scarred both inside and out. Sixth, even if characters got very little screen time, there was plenty of character development in their brief appearances, particularly Effie. By the end, I even liked Finnick.
I know that people are complaining that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 is too slow, but I actually think that it is better than its corresponding book because in the book, events unfold so rapidly, you have to reread to make sure that you understood what happened whereas the film takes its time to spell things out. My FitBit did think that I was asleep for the first hour, but I loved the pacing and forced reflection.
If you come to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 to watch teenagers fight for your own amusement, shame on you. You watch The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 to understand Nietzsche’s quote, “Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster.”