It’s game over for the Hunger Games
Political, military manoeuvring takes spotlight in dark finale
There was much grumbling when the makers of the wildly popular Hunger Games decided to turn the literary trilogy into a fourpart film series. “Cash grab!” some declared. Even the most generous could only mutter: “May the box office be ever in your favour.” (And it was.)
But it turned out to be a wise choice from a storytelling perspective. For while the first part of Mockingjay was perhaps the weakest of the series, this final chapter comes roaring down the home stretch in the way that only half a book turned into two-plus hours of film can.
It opens in the immediate aftermath of the previous film, with Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) newly rescued from the clutches of the dystopic dictatorship that is Panem, and rebel forces massing to deliver a victory blow against the evil (but always well coiffed) President Snow, played with relish and more than a little pepper by Donald Sutherland.
Fighting the good fight, as always, is Katniss Everdeen.
Jennifer Lawrence continues to be the best thing about The Hunger Games, and it’s heartening to see that this fine young actress hasn’t been handicapped by appearing in a young-adult adaptation.
During her three-and-a-half years in The Hunger Games, Lawrence has also managed to win an Oscar (Silver Linings Playbook), be nominated for another (American Hustle), knock off an X-Men movie, sign up for a Darren Aronofsky project and star in a genuine dud (Serena). That’s a career and a half right there. She also stars in Joy, her third with director David O. Russell, opening on Christmas Day.
She’ll be missed as the plucky Katniss, who always had her priorities straight — survival first, defeat Snow if possible, and fall in love if there was any time left over. Which there generally wasn’t. Mockingjay pays lip service to the Katniss/Peeta/ Gale triangle (Liam Hemsworth plays the hypotenuse) but it’s far more interested in political and military manoeuvring.
The final Hunger Games isn’t quite as honed as it could be. A wedding adds little to the plot, though it should please fans of the book. And a key scene between Katniss and Coin’s aide-de-camp Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) couldn’t take place because the actor died before filming it. Instead, another character now reads a letter from Plutarch.