Where to start? It was very good, but being split into two parts hurts this one far more, in my opinion, than it hurt Part 1. One dark, grim and depressing Mockingjay is far more digestible than two. After sitting through the somber Part 1, you really are ready for some comic relief in this one, even though book readers will know it's not coming. The story is easily the best part of the movie, every plot point is executed perfectly. It just makes me wish it all could have happened in one acclaimed huge hit movie instead of two decently received big but not huge hit movies.

The film definitely could have used a more diverse color palette. During the Capitol battle, the film is so covered in layers and shades of grey, it really starts to make you feel sad. The action scenes are exciting, but a bit muddled; sometimes it is hard to see what is going on, especially during the sewer scene. You don't realize who is alive and who is dead until after the fact.

The film is at its best after the death of Prim. The final conversation with Snow, voting on the Capitol Hunger Games, Coin's execution, Katniss in District 12, and the epilogue, are filmed in a way that will make the audience elicit reactions of "that was badass" or "this is sweet" rather than "Oh my God why am I watching this stew of awful depression?"

The epilogue does work here far better than the one in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. This feels less tacked on and more of a natural progression; it's great to see that Katniss can find happiness again.

There are plenty of fun bits thrown in there for fans of the book. Buttercup makes a heartbreaking final appearance, and Tigris makes a big impression in her limited screen time. It is also fun seeing Caesar Flickerman in a few news broadcasts, but the film really could have used more of his energy. Effie was missed as well. Julianne Moore gives the best performance in the film, her death seems much more organic here than in the book; it is much less of a surprise.

The Hunger Games is always going to be an interesting franchise to look back on. Interesting in that it took such a huge 180 in terms of style and tone halfway through. Interesting in that so many fans abandoned it even after the amazing second installment, which remains the franchise high point. It is most interesting in that it does not force a happy ending where it does not fit. You really really want one, but when the film is over and you reflect on it, you understand that is how it has to be. While ABC Family won't be having yearly Hunger Games marathons during 25 days of Christmas, it certainly has its place in the world of cinema, and on the franchise shelf, where Katniss can sit in confidence next to Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins, Neo, Spider Man and Indiana Jones.

A

Here is an advice. When you start a reiew with "hurts this one far more than..." you don't end that review with a straight A.

Mockingjay as one part had A+ potential. Split in two, each get A's.

Whenever something is hurt a lot, it is not a straight A.

If you take a test and your score is hurt a lot by whatever, you usually do not get an A or no one in their right mind says that your score was hurt a lot.

Personally I don't mind the separation of last book in half trend. I thought it worked for Deathly Hallows beautifully, Breaking Dawn's split was fine, and I also think the split in parts for Mockingjay works.

As for this part, I enjoyed myself immensely. Jennifer Lawrence really grew into this role and I think her performances in the Mockingjay films have been her best to date. Josh Hutcherson also proves that he was able to step up his game with his performance here.

Overall I really enjoy this franchise. All the way through I think it has been a B+ for me for all 4 films. All extremely solid with strong acting and an interesting story, but like the books the franchise doesn't take off for me like I'd like it too. The ending scenes with Peeta and Katniss were touching though.

What I meant was I didn't think part 1 was really not hurt at all by the split. Part 2 is hurt only that it is harder to sit through two movies that are so somber. But that's good it elicited emotion, not an insult.

But yeah, this is easily the best live action blockbuster of the year. Far better than Jurassic World, it's an absolute pity its going to disappoint at the box office. These Mockingjay movies are almost as good as Catching Fire and so much better than the first Hunger Games.

If you have a 1000 question test, missing 99 problems would "hurt a lot" and you'd still get an A.

Bitch.

Missing 99 would not hurt a lot if you still get an A.

I think you have a very "literal" term for hurt.

Reading zwackerm's review, it's like a 9/10...he just starts off with the one thing that bothered him, but for the rest it's just positive energy. I can see where the A is coming from.

I just saw and will write a bit about it tomorrow, but I grade same like I did part 1. B-

Meh

It was enjoyable enough but I don't get the hype with the movies. Besides a fantastic performance from Jennifer Lawrence in every single film, they're kind of mediocre and not terribly exciting. The first one is still my favorite. It may have been typical but I still had a lot of fun with it. Catching Fire was super over hyped and Mockingjay Part I and II were both good but didn't make me feel much at the same time.

Also, I have to say that it was hilarious how the movie barely even cared that Prim died. The entire reason these movies happened was because of her and it almost seemed like an after thought.

I'd give it a low B, mainly because of Lawrence. There were two seriously fantastic scenes (the one where the gun was being held to her head and the scene with the cat at the end) that gave me chills.

B

LISTTTTTT

1. The Hunger Games
2. Mockingjay - Part I
3. Mockingjay - Part II
4. Catching Fire

As a fan of the books, I've enjoyed the film adaptations to various degrees. The first one inspired me to read the books, but it suffered from an excessive use of the handheld camera. The second one was the best in terms of pace and sheer entertainment, yet it's far too glossy. The adaptation of the third book was split into two movies, which rather harms Part 1 more than Part 2. Part 2 was rather well done. Mockingjay is essentially a war/political story that builds up to what is essentially a huge anticlimax. When I first read the book, I was a bit confused by the whole thing, but I've come to see through rereading the book and watching this film that the anticlimax is very much by design and I find it to be a rather courageous way to end a YA series.

The film, in that regard, does not disappoint as it effectively shows the consequences of war, and demonstrates that war is not decided by any one person, and it is ultimately a futile thing. While Katniss helps spark the rebellion and unite the people, she is not a factor in the war, and her actions do nothing to stop the death of the person she wanted to protect the most. When that death occurs, it perfectly captures the abrupt moment in the book. The aftermath seemed a bit rushed, but I thought it worked well enough and was faithful to the book.

Most of the cast bring their A game, and Jennifer Lawrence is better than ever. I don't think the films would work as well without her. The love triangle is hit and miss. I thought Josh Hutcherson was definitely better here than the previous films, and gives a rather solid performance. But Liam Hemsworth is still intensely boring to watch. And some of the dialogue directly taken from the book just doesn't work. It's called an adaptation for a reason. I understand why they wanted to use the last line of the book and I was okay with that, but some of it was just cringeworthy. The best sequence in the film is the one in the tunnel. I haven't been at the edge of my seat for so long since Sicario. And also, every scene with Johanna just pops. Jena Malone is such a pleasure to watch, and should have been utilized more. I seriously wanted her to be part of the team in the Capitol, and I don't understand why the filmmakers did not think of this.

One of my issues with the last two films is the structure. They both end up not feeling like standalone films, Part 1 more than Part 2. I wish the studio was smart and brave enough to consult the writer of the books in order to flesh out the story, and actually attempt to make them both feel complete. Part 1 desperately needed some action and a real climax. Some aspects of Part 2 needed more breathing room and a little further development. One problem that I had with all films in this franchise is the PG-13 rating. It needed the brutality, the violence, and a bit of the gore.
Regardless, this is a fitting end to a rather succesful franchise. It's not without its flaws, but it's never not entertaining.

B/B+

1. Catching Fire
2. Mockingjay Part 2
3. The Hunger Games
4. Mockingjay Part 1

I liked it quite a bit, but I think I liked all four equally.

In this one, Josh Hutcherson FINALLY (!) gets to act.

An absolute clusterfuck when it comes to pacing. Characters walk three feet and then stop and spend 5-10 minutes talking about the last three feet. Never once does it develop a head of steam or any sense of momentum.

MOCKINGJAY was butchered by the split. The good stuff is there -- and pulled off well -- but it's buried beneath layer after layer of tedium.

A fitting and satisfying conclusion to the series that nonetheless can't quite overcome some of the novel's narrative faults. Splitting Mockingjay into two really dulls some of the emotional impact, IMO. But this is a better film than part 1, even if it doesn't reach the highs of Catching Fire. Through all four films, Jennifer Lawrence has been the emotional cornerstone and here, in another fantastic performance, she imbues Katniss with the strength and turmoil we've seen building throughout. The acting is excellent all around, in fact, and Mockingjay Part 2 likely represents Josh Hutcherson's best display of all the films. Overall, this has been a really important franchise in the modern era for a number of reasons. I'm sad to see it finish, but the actors and crew should be commended on bringing this undertaking to cinematic life with resounding success. B+

For what it's worth, my ratings for the films are:
The Hunger Games: A-
Catching Fire: A
Mockingjay Part 1: B+/B
Mockingjay Part 2: B+

It's OK. There's about equally as much to like and not like. I don't like how the film doesn't really have an entry, it just starts right off where the last stopped. I prefer easing into a film. Also Hutcherson is still bad, you can put any actor in that role and it's fine. He's also part of 2 silly story lines. I'm not feeling this whole part, already not in part 1, where he's taken hostage, brainwashed and now in part 2, being brought back to normality. Second is that the love triangle story which I didn't care for since Catching Fire. In Hunger Games everyone was fine and well done, maybe the story wasn't that original, it's an interesting story still with compelling characters made into a very good film.

Anyone, won't get back to the previous films. Part 2 has some of the most intense moments of the series, the moment Boggs dies, there's a lot of suspense and brought me to the edge of my seat. The sewer scenes are really well done, to really give me a sense of danger.
Jennifer Lawrence is great, and so is the cast overall, Moore, Harrelsson, Banks, Tucci (just a cameo only really), love to see them on the screen.

The film wasn't subtle enough in making Coin become the villain quite early on, and it had to be expected Katniss would not let rule. It was all done quite well dramatically though. Splitting the films, really gave us too much unnecessary story too, something like the wedding can be totally skipped in my opinion.

I liked Part 1 a bit more, because I was looking forward to the Rebellion part since the Hunger Games, and it had some great emotional scenes in that. Part 2 I felt less attached too, but it has more suspenseful events leading up the finale.

B-

It's a reasonably decent series of films, but it's only because the first film set-up an interesting and imaginative world. After that, the development of the story didn't attract me much anymore.

The Hunger Games: B+
Catching Fire: C
Mockingjay Part 1: B-
Mockingjay Part 2: B-

The second half of the two-part Hunger Games finale is unfortunately as anemic, deflating, and self-serious as the first. It is a film of intermittent, undistinguished action in a sea of expository, monotonous, and repetitive melodrama exploring various issues (post-traumatic stress disorder, propaganda) in the most superficial ways conceivable. For what it is worth, it sees Jennifer Lawrence's revolutionary archer and her standard-issue rebel alliance through to the end and perhaps deserve a point or two for opting for grim restraint rather than glamorous triumphalism at key moments, but this franchise lost its luster when it turned away from the titular tournament of death and its entertaining aura of adolescent doom and gloom. In the end, no amount of acting talent (including Lawrence, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman) or handsomely burnished cinematography could drawn me into the generic, morose anti-authoritarian parable the Hunger Games series has revealed itself to be, and the love-triangle subplot failed to move the dial even in the strongest entry, Catching Fire.

C

I remember when the first film came out, I heard, "Oh, just wait, Liam Hemsworth's Gale is a minor presence now, but he is going to become a big deal." Still waiting.

These books and the movies have never been about the love story.

LOL. That's so true.

I definitely liked this more than Mockingjay Part 1 and it's a satisfying conclusion to the series. Really liked the end. But it's crazy what a drop in quality the Mockingjay movies were compared to the far more exciting first film and Catching Fire.

Probably 10 minutes before the movie ends I really thought there was going to be another half hour left. It was just getting exciting. But there wasn't. Kind of comes to its conclusion rather abruptly.

Overall a satisfying end to the series. But I really thought this series would go out with more of a bang.

My ratings:

The Hunger Games - A
Catching Fire - A
Mockingjay: Part 1 - B
Mockingjay: Part 2 - B+

I thought you said it was hard to get excited for this because of how disappointing Mockingjay Part 1 was? Is B a really disappointing score in your book? Plus, since when is B-B+ a huge comedown from A?

Maybe not in your book but it's a big drop in quality to me. I LOVED the first two. Part 1 was alright but NOTHING HAPPENED. It was kind of boring. I should probably give it a B- but it still had good performances and was well-made.

BJs Grade:

A-/A

Better than Part 1 fo sho

BJs Ratings:

The Hunger Games - A-
Catching Fire - A
Mokcingjay Part 1 - B+/A-
Mockingjay Part 2 - A-/A

My main takeaway: Jennifer Lawrence needs to seize doing scream acting. Her scene yelling at the cat is one of the worst scenes this year.

The film itself is just okay. Though the escape from the sewers into the railway station scene I believe was one of the best scenes of the whole series.