“Constantine” director Francis Lawrence’s “The Hunger Games:
Mockingjay Part 2” (** OUT OF ****) qualifies as an adequate but belated installment
in Suzanne Collins’ bestselling, post-apocalyptic, young adult adventure series
set in a dystopian society where a dame armed with a bow and arrow topples a totalitarian
regime. Lionsgate Studios could have concluded their chartbuster
franchise dexterously with the third movie, combining both parts of “Mockingjay”
into a single escapade. Mind you, scenarists Peter Craig and Danny Strong
would have had to perform some judicious editing, whittling down the placeholder
first half, and then tightening up the second half. Basically, “The
Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” is neither as audacious as “The Hunger Games”
nor its spectacular sequel “Catching Fire.” Aside from Jennifer Lawrence,
Liam Hemsworth, and Josh Hutcherson, everybody else participates in largely
scaled back roles. Sam Claflin and Julianne Moore remain on screen
slightly longer and make a greater lasting impression. Donald Sutherland,
smirking through his fluffy white beard, returns as Katniss’ nefarious nemesis President
Snow. The late Phillip Seymour Hoffman gets a few scenes. Woody
Harrelson lurks at our heroine’s elbow as does Elizabeth Banks, Jeffrey Wright,
Jena Malone, and Willow Shields. Stanley Tucci shows up only once in a
television broadcast segment for Snow. Suffice to say, four of the franchise
characters fail to survive. At fadeout, one major character simply turns on
heel, withdraws from a room, never to be heard from again, in a bland exit.
Lawrence doesn’t have much to work with, and this straightforward
saga isn’t as creative as the first two blockbusters. “Mockingjay 2”
contains a few exciting scenes, but the demise of its primary villain--whose demise
we have savored for so long--takes place out-of-sight. Meantime, Katniss
Everdeen stands front and center, and inevitably Mockingjay 2” rehabilitates
Peeta Mellark as her battling beau. Sadly, Peeta’s return generates
little pizzazz. The action follows our heroine and her companions as they
plunge into the Capitol on a behind-the-lines mission. They must wend their way
through an explosive obstacle course of booby-traps until Katniss can execute
Snow. Unhappily, as much as she yearns to slaughter Snow, Lawrence and
his scribes deprive Katniss of that golden opportunity. Committed Katniss
fans familiar with Collins’ novels will appreciate this adaptation more than
those who haven’t perused the novel. Essentially, two scenes overshadow
the film. The first involves a rabid horde of cadaverous mutants in the
sewer that attack them and then Katniss’ ultimate showdown with Resistance Army
President Alma Coin.
“The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2” opens where the third feature
abruptly ended. Meaning, if this is your first encounter with the
franchise, you’re going to be puzzled by most of what ensues. Katniss has
recovered from Peeta’s futile effort to strangle her, while he remains in
restraints. Initially, she has trouble uttering her own name.
Eventually, she embarks on a mission into the District 2 war zone
alongside long-time friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth of “The Expendables
2”) where an enemy shoots Katniss in the back. Predictably, Snow
celebrates her death before he learns that she survived. Disgruntled about getting
sidelined after her near-death experience, our pugnacious protagonist sneaks back
into combat with a little help from smarmy Johanna Mason (Jena Malone of “Cold
Mountain”), but she finds herself relegated to a propaganda mission as rebel
forces enter the capital. Once again, Coin relies on Katniss for her
propaganda value as the Mockingjay, while Katniss itches for the chance to kill
Snow. Our heroes wield a gadget that enables them to detect the presence
of booby traps. Snow has turned the Capitol into an obstacle course of deadly
booby traps. Our courageous heroine and her unit face numerous close
scrapes, and their brash adversaries make the same mistake again and again of
thinking that they have eliminated Katniss while she emerges unscathed.
Ultimately, Katniss’ two confrontations with Snow in the final quarter ignite
few sparks. You don’t have to have read the book to figure out where the
action is heading in this final quarter.
Director Francis Lawrence stages most of the story in
claustrophobic tunnels and labyrinthine cityscapes. He lensed “The Hunger
Games: Mockingjay Part 2” not only in Atlanta, Georgia, but also abroad in
Paris and Berlin. The liveliest scene unfolds in the sewer when the Mutts
assault our heroes, and Katniss barely escapes from their jaws. Of
course, not everybody survives this white-knuckled episode.
Simultaneously, Katniss and company trigger booby traps among skyscraper
buildings that unleash tons of tar. Unfortunately, these tense action
scenes cannot compare with the more imaginative ones in “The Hunger Games” and
“Catching Fire” with their scenic settings. Part of the problem is the
shortage of suspense. Although Katniss gets wounded early into the
action, you know she cannot die. Any time that the audience knows more
than the villains, a movie will suffer. Predictably, certain characters
near her must bite the dust to maintain some modicum of tension. The
persistent romantic triangle arises again. Peeta struggles to convince
Katniss that he is no longer trustworthy. Meantime, Gale Hawthorne accompanies
her, but it is clear he is not going to end up at her side when all is said and
done. During an early scene, he complains that kissing Katniss is like kissing
a drunk. Lawrence develops some suspense during the scene near the end
when Katniss and Gale sneak into the Capitol masquerading as refugees bound for
sanctuary at Snow’s headquarters. There are some anxious moments when Snow’s
sentries look poised to pounce on our heroes.
Although “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2” boasts impressive
production values and a charismatic cast, Lionsgate Studio has allowed this
once exhilarating franchise to linger beyond its expiration date. As
sumptuously produced and splendidly cast as this installment is, the action
seldom seems as fresh and spontaneous as it once was. Hollywood has
always sought to milk their cash cows, but prolonging the inevitable when it
has been dragged out far too long in the first place constitutes tedium.
