Hunger Games Mocking Jay Part 2 Review
I’ve just watched the Part 2 of Mocking Jay, and i am deeply conflicted as to how to evaluate the entire movie. So first i will start with the part with the most emotional impact – for me that is (that won the war) and by then i will have formed an opinion worth reading about. First, let me spoil the plot to all and sundry, so if you haven’t watched it, stop right here.
The most emotional part of this movie reminded me of an incident a few years back. It was 2013, i was at Mama Ngina in Mombasa, new to the coast and in love with the ocean. I couldn’t stay in the house, so i went to Mama Ngina to check out the ships coming to dock at the port. While i was seated, at peace with the waves, i noticed some kids climbing up a ledge and diving into the water. They were having fun and you could see the adrenaline in their little faces. Then out of the corner of my eye, i saw a brown long thing moving in the water, away from the kids.
There were rocks in the water and i thought their shadows were messing around with my head…until i realized the brown thing was moving…and it passed close to me enough to push my heart to 100 beats a minute. I was in shock. A Shark!!! It went like a hundred meters into the clear waters, then as if looking for a better way, changed course and started heading back straight to the kids in the water. I couldn’t shout, my tongue was stuck in my mouth…i just forced myself to grab a guy nearby and pointed the thing out…lucky this guy was more in control of his mouth…within seconds a crowd had gathered and some started shouting to the kids to get out of the water. Phew! The kids ran out of the water. Except for one kid…who was “kichwa ngumu” and remained in the water…we all held our breath as the shark went straight for him but he was in too shallow waters so it couldn’t reach…so again it went out….and came back from the other direction! Let me just say that kids was nearly killed by mob justice – only to be saved by her mum. What an afternoon!
A similar thing happens in Part 2, though this time this was tragic. Deep in the war, huddled with refugees seeking refuge with children being rescued first, Katnis senses something is wrong…it looks as if her instincts are on high alert….she steps up into a truck and looks around suspiciously…then a plane passes by and throws what looks like sweets to the kids….she knows what is about to happen but it seems, for once, she is speechless, tongue tied, in shock, not believing what is impossibly happening….the sweets are….let me not spoil everything. But you get my analogy.
Side Note: Next time you spot something bad is going to happen, slap yourself, and just act! You might save some lives.
Since that part took me three years back in memories, i must sincerely commend the film for being a masterpiece. It is extremely well made, with a solid focus on a few characters, an entertaining and steadily developing story that had me out of my seat in some moments of extreme suspense, and eventually a happily-ever-after ending with a hint of part 3.
But this movie also has some terrible parts. First Katnis neck is burnt as coming from Part 1, and is clearly scarred. How did she heal so perfectly in just 15 minutes to have a perfect neck? Number 2 is the story about the booby traps: The traps are extremely well thought of and require incredible skill to maneuver. But why does President Snow declare Katnis dead without knowing for sure – with proof – that she was dead? Third, she gets burnt again, yet she comes out with a smooth skin face. Really? And the worst thing i couldn’t believe about the movie was hiding the war from us. The hunger games was about a rebellion. Hiding the rebellion’s victory from us, the audience who are invested in it, makes all the hunger games not even worth seeing. Yet somehow they make that sad part be the same with Katnis, and she remains a victor without celebration. Smart move but hell no! i wanted to see some action!!!!
The love story in this movie is complicated. Two men love one woman but her heart if 100% with the wrong guy – Peter. She sticks by Peter even when his sole mission is to kill her. Yet at the same time we can see she is afraid of him…conflicted…not sure of her feelings but trusting her gut feeling all the way. She had faith in this guy and her faith saved him from himself, as corny as that sounds.
I hated the ending of this movie. I said it. Yes. Why?
*Major spoiler alert*
First, we don’t see President Snow dying. We hate him so much so why not show us his demise? Urgh!
Second, the movie should have ended with Katnis and Peter in bed. Perfect scene. Romantic Ending. Instead, we get a “lord of the rings” type ending. Urrgh!! x2
Third, Peter is emotionally disconnected from everyone else and from the entire movie. He is the weak link of the plot. It could have been better to see his inner confliction, his dual personalities (again, remember precious of lord of the rings?) and his soft side, his loving side. We get to see that at the very end….and just a glimpse. That part was mishandled….could have made the audience understand him, and trust him as Katnis did – trust him without proof.
Fourth – There is no music in this movie. Part 1 had the mocking jay. Part 2 had nothing. Music would have earned this movie one billion dollars, instead it earned…well not so bad, but it could have been better.
Fifth – Other than Peter and President Snow, who else was a villian? A villian assistant….a bad guy winnin a battle but losing a war. There was no one. So the audience is tied to either President Snow or to the rebels who have a full cast. President Snow was shortchanged….his cast could have been upgraded to be better than booby traps, some soldiers should have shown us how hard it was going to be to win the war.
If you have played Gears of War 1 video game on Xbox 360, you must know the part where General RAAM comes in and kills the commander of Delta Squad in dramatic fashion. Delta squad runs away and straight away we know they are facing a formidable enemy – only to meet the Berserker! The same happened in Thor, with Loki, who had help from another bad guy, plus his converted soldiers were gallant and tough warriors fighting against Thor. In short, when a movie has some tough bad guys and some tough good guys, the final fight is usually worth watching, the victory worth the movie ticket and the ending too soon.
In this final aspect, The Hunger Games Part 2 miserably failed the test of being a great movie. It is well told, great cinematography and acceptable story, but it fails the test of greatness. Watch it for an emotional weekend evening, but not for a lifetime memory.
Rated 7.5 out of 10
