By Zahfir Ayyoob (Grade 9)

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he successful movie franchise The Hunger Games’ course has ended, concluding on November 20^th with Mockingjay Part 2. It picks up right where its much more disappointing counterpart, Mockingjay Part 1, left off: the Capitol is crumbling, and is becoming more and more desperate to salvage and take control of the districts. The rebellion, led by Katniss Everdeen (portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence), leaves District 13 to save and warn the other districts of the danger. President Snow is, once again, trying to get Katniss’s head. The districts rally together to try and defeat the evil empire.

            Mockingjay Part 2 made over $100 million in its first weekend, so it is clear that it was highly anticipated by viewers. The biggest issue that the critics and general public had was the unnecessary splitting of the book into two movies. When a studio splits an average sized book into two feature length films, there are always filler scenes. This is extremely apparent in Mockingjay Part 2, as scenes are stretched on for much longer than necessary. This was also the issue with Mockingjay Part 1 – it often dragged on, and couldn’t keep the audience engaged with its constant slow dialogue and barren characters you never cared for. Neither one of them were bad movies, and Mockingjay Part 2 is surely more exciting, as it includes many gripping action sequences with stellar direction and acting, but they feel few in number, and stretched out far in between each other.

            However, there is much enjoyment to be had in this movie. The strongest point is, without a doubt, the heart wrenching performances, specifically Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. The cast has known each other for so long that they give very believable performances on the big screen. Jennifer Lawrence isn’t Oscar-worthy in this movie, but she is fantastic nonetheless. The story is very gloomy and will likely induce tears from a few of you, but the ending is fantastic and wraps up the virtuous series well enough.

            All in all, Mockingjay Part 2 is an enjoyable film, despite its imperfections. It may not be worth going to IMAX 3D viewings, but if you catch it in a Wal-Mart on Blu-Ray, it’s definitely worth your time.