Hunger Games, The: Mockingjay Part 2 (3/22/2016)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for some thematic material.

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Julianne Moore

Directed by Francis Lawrence (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, I Am Legend and Constantine)

Could not have asked for a better ending for this franchise.

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow [Donald Sutherland] in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale [Liam Hemsworth], Finnick [Sam Claflin] and Peeta [Josh Hutcherson] – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to liberate the citizens of Panem, and stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

If your family is like my, you’ve been counting down the days to The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2. Well let me be the first to say, it was well worth the wait.

I will admit that I‘m not of fan of the now normal routine of splitting the final novel in a series into two films. Could you even imagine Return of the Jedi Part 1 and 2?? Needless to say, it is my opinion that the franchise would have been better served if the final two films had been edited more tightly together and made into a trilogy. Despite this complaint, this series has been solidly entertaining and remains at the top of the heap of young adult, dystopian future, genre films… and we all know that there have been plenty of them over the past few years.

Mockingjay Part 1 was slow and very disappointing, but this second installment picks up the pace and the amount of action. The film’s best action scenes come during the attack on the Capital. Snow has booby trapped the city, turning it into a massive Hunger Games arena. Along the way they are plagued by traps of all kinds as well as zombie-type mutants. And be aware, the story doesn’t shy away from killing off characters along the way. Should I have said SPOILER ALERT?

As has always been the case with this series, Jennifer Lawrence is terrific in the lead role. It’s hard to believe but when she was first announced in the part, many fans of the books protested because they didn’t think she looked enough like the way Katniss was described. Over the course of this series, she’s gone from rising star, to bona fide movie star and Oscar winner.

The rest of the cast includes five Academy Award nominated actors (Lawrence, Harrelson, Moore, Hoffman, Tucci) and other A-list stars. On a side note: Hoffman died before filming was complete and subsequently his character’s part has been reduced. Hoffman’s finally scene was changed to Woody Harrelson reading a letter from him to Katniss…and it worked.

While this marks the ending, there are already rumors of a sequel or prequel. I don’t have any idea where they will take the story or if any of this cast will return, what I do know is The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is “Theater Worthy.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
There is no sex or nudity in this film, and the profanity is on the mild side. The PG-13 rating is for the violence and action. Although most of the deaths are off-screen, it is strongly implied how they happened and the thought can be rather disturbing.

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. What are some of the stronger attributes of Katniss?


2. Which attributes do you admire most? Why?


3. How did Katniss develop those attributes?

Read Romans 5:1-5

By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God. Christ has also introduced us to God’s undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. But that’s not all! We gladly suffer, because we know that suffering helps us to endure. And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.


4. According to this passage, how can we develop out character?