The penultimate part of the Hunger Games saga with an explosive chapter from start to the cliffhanger finish. We are back with Katniss Everdeen the girl on fire and mockingjay as we see how the effects of the last battle affect our heroine.
Questions are answered for both Katniss and the audience as we have waited a whole year to find out what happened next and what exactly the plan had been since her first Hunger Games. District 13 which everyone thought was abandoned and destroyed has a new community and government which has been building and storing for quite a long time, waiting just waiting for the moment they can challenge the Capitol.
It was quick to catch us up on what has been happening since Katniss was rescued from the arena and where the other tributes are being held. Especially Peeta who looks worse each time he is broadcast on TV from the Capitol. Which takes a lot of build up before we actually find out what has been happening to him. It does add a nice little twist in the storyline though I will say that!
Jennifer Lawrence really does put in a fantastic performance again as Katniss and really should be regarded as one of the best female heroines in cinema. We no all of the characters pretty well now and they continue to show more depth in this film. It makes it much easier already having two previous films to get into this one, you know what to expect and it does not disappoint.
It has some emotional scenes and it will make you think what you would do if you were Katniss. How would you react to a whole district wanting you to represent the cause and be the face of the revolution?
While it does take serious turns it also still has some lighthearted funny moments which help with the flow of the film. We don’t really want it to be totally serious all of the time, it continues the good balance from the first two films. But you know that the war is getting closer and it does build it up nicely, the only problem with it is that you know its going to just end at a bad time due to the second part and having to wait another year to see the climax. Which is a shame really as it was just getting really good when it finishes.
It’s actually a strange film to put a review together for as you don’t want to spoil anything as it follows on the story and picks up the pace, while I enjoyed it all it really is a stepping stone for what will be an epic final film in the series. It is under the two-hour mark so not very long compared to the first two and I am sure the fourth will have a decent length as well.
It was lovely to see the film being dedicated to the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman who has a very key and big role in this film!
