Final Embers
November 22, 2015
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (2015).
D: Francis Lawrence. DP: Jo Willems. W: Peter Craig & Danny Strong. Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Claflin, Natalie Dormer, Elizabeth Banks, Willow Shields, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci, Mahershala Ali, Michelle Forbes. (NOTE: Based on Suzanne Collins’ novel)
Another YA fiction adaptation comes to a close begging the question, what will be the next series? The Divergent series starring Shailene Woodley has not been able to compete at the box office with Hunger Games or Harry Potter or Twilight so it’s safe to say we are still looking for what’s next. However, regardless The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 wraps up this series nicely and provides the action packed punch the final installment needed.
Part 2 picks up from the previous film that ended with the rescuing of Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) from the capitol where he had been conditioned to kill Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). Emotionally this sets up Katniss’ additional drive to infiltrate the capitol and kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Although asked to wait by her superiors and remain just the symbol of the rebellion, Katniss does what she does best and sneaks out anyway. Eventually Katniss will join forces with a special skilled group and enter into the capitol which is covered in pods that make it essentially another hunger games. This stretch of the film is the best as it’s action roots are what make the series its own. Katniss must act and react to what lies ahead of her, with fabulous bow and arrow use to boot.
This final film was shot in tandem with the previous one so the creative team stayed the same between the two. Director Francis Lawrence and cinematographer Jo Willems keep up the good work from Part 1, but excel at the action sequences. The emotionality of the love triangle cannot be sustained by the series, but this is not from lack of trying by Lawrence. Her teenager is all woman now, which arguably she always was, but still does not connect convincingly with Hutcherson. Their chemistry does not build impact and at this point in the story no one should have to be convinced of their connection.
Thankfully they are surrounded by new faces and action to help move the film along as death continues to be part of these games. The ending of the film provides twists and turns but if you have read the book these lack some resonance. That could also be because Katniss’ denial of any political position makes all her decisions emotional rather than tactical. Great when read by a YA audience, but maybe not the best ending for a cinema offering. Julianne Moore still suffers through a severe wig as President Coin and Philip Seymour Hoffman’s final scenes shimmer with their own kind of sadness.
The Hunger Games world keeps expanding throughout the series, but there is still not a clear sense of space defined visually. The size of Pan Am is hard to conceive and with the repetition of game-like narratives the films themselves are cyclical and non distinctive, except for the previous one. Seeing them as a set now their explorations of trauma and death as sport is a fascinating exploration of modern warfare. Despite its YA context Hunger Games does ask its teens to think and think beyond themselves. A great feat for any teenage set content. We shall see who steps up to the plate next.
Where is the Courage to Make One Film not Two?
December 23, 2014
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (2014).
D: Francis Lawrence. DP: Jo Willems. W: Peter Craig & Danny Strong. Starring: Jennifer Lawrence/Josh Hutcherson/Liam Hemsworth/Philip Seymour Hoffman/Woody Harrelson/Julianne Moore/Donald Sutherland/Elizabeth Banks/Stanley Tucci/Sam Claflin/Jena Malone/Natalie Dormer/Jeffrey Wright/Willow Shields/Mahershala Ali. (Based on Suzanne Collins’ novel of the same name)
This holiday season began with the much awaited third installment in Suzanne Collins’ young adult The Hunger Games series. Picking up where Catching Fire left off, the film finds Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) awakening from the all-star games to the world of District 13, thought to be completely destroyed. She is quickly asked to become to symbol of the resistance, the mockingjay, and must decide where her loyalties fit in this new terrain.
Francis Lawrence, a primarily television and music video direct whose last feature film was 2011’s Water for Elephants, picks up the series seamlessly. There is a nice visual continuity between the film and its previous two, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games. This is difficult, but possibly an expression of his work with cinematographer Jo Willems. This team has the harder task of creating an atmosphere even bleaker than the previous films and much more transitional as one novel has been stretched into two films.
Peter Craig and Danny Strong’s script is adequate, but just simply cannot pack the same punch as the story ultimately feels thin. The emotionality of the cut off point for this film falls flat and unfortunately emphasizes the romance rather than the action and choices of Lawrence’s Katniss. This is the harder text to adapt as it lacks a games, but it should have been split into two films.
However, the saving grace in Mockingjay – Part 1 is Lawrence as Katniss. Shouldering the emotional weight of the film, her determination through trauma is felt through the camera and she is able to take the audience on a journey through understanding her own pain. Her chemistry with Hemsworth’s Gale is finally given service here, which Lawrence is able to give considerable depth too. It is nice relief to the rest of the film as one almost forgets that Katniss is only a teenager. Philip Seymour Hoffman is rather great here as Plutarch, giving extra sparkle to his lasting memory. Julianne Moore steps well into President Coin, but her severe gray wig actually distracts from her controlled performance.
Ultimately, the film serves its series well but cannot eclipse the extremely well handled Catching Fire. I would argue that Mockingjay is the least engaging of the novels and actually the most sad. As young adult fiction goes, it rounds out the series very well, a rare fete as this novel is so distinct from the first two. Therefore, I am inclined to forgive aspects of the film as the source material is just not the same. But we will all just have to wait and see how part two plays out.