The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Sam Clafin, Jena Malone, Natalie Dormer, Mahershala Ali, Michelle Forbes, Patina Miller and Stanley Tucci

Directed by: Francis Lawrence

Rating: ★★★½

As loyal readers will know, I wasn’t overjoyed about The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1- mainly because it was incredibly slow and not much happened in it, but also because I’m not a fan of the book.

Let the games begin- for the last time...!

However, the fourth entry into the Hunger Games franchise rectifies the wrongs of its predecessor- as it is tense, exciting and action packed.

The new version of Peeta...

Beginning directly after Katniss (Lawrence) has been attacked by a brainwashed Peeta (Hutcherson), familiar faces from the previous films turn up to talk us through the uprising that is being orchestrated by President Coin (Moore).

President Coin wants to take down President Snow...

Led by Commander Paylor (Miller), soldiers are to take to the streets of the Capitol in order to make a final stand against President Snow (Sutherland), and Katniss wants join them so she can kill Snow herself.

Will Katniss enact her revenge?

Accompanied by the ‘Star Squad’, which includes Peeta, Gale (Hemsworth), Cressida (Dormer), Boggs (Ali), Finnick (Clafin) and Lieutenant Jackson (Forbes) the team realise that the city streets have been booby trapped by ‘pods’, devices that unleash horrific traps, so the group must fight to stay alive if they are to topple the evil President.

Gale isn't as hateable as he is in the book- but he's still annoying!

Because it follows on directly from the tediously drawn out Part 1, Part 2 cuts to the chase, allowing the action and tension to build from the off and continue throughout.  Although we have to get through a pretty pointless wedding, we eventually get to meet the infamous blob monster, as well as vaporising machines and mutants that chase the group through the sewers.

Will the Star Squad survive?

Although I am not a fan of the book on which it is based, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2is a great and thoroughly entertaining conclusion to the series. I’m very happy that they made the ending much more upbeat than the book, and even though I did not think it was necessary for them to add on the additional tagged on conclusion, it works in the context of the film, and also provides closure that many fans are probably clamouring for.

Will Peeta get a happy ending?

Just like the other films, the acting is strong, with Lawrence once again giving another commanding central performance, and most of the supporting cast providing great turns.

Effie is back...

Although Johanna’s role is greatly reduced from the book, Jena Malone continues to dominate every single scene she’s in, proving once again what a strong actress she is.

Watch out for that blob monster!

Ali and Forbes are also great additions to the cast, and it sadly noticeable what moments remained unfinished after the tragic death of Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose character Plutarch no longer gets the strongest scenes he should have had.

The ending is still a kick in the nuts, but it isn't as awful as the book...

With action, adventure, romance and revenge, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 2, is a blockbuster that has it all- including a blob monster. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, as it is much stronger than the previous film, and has a much better ending than the book- and also doesn’t completely obliterate Katniss’s character.

Katniss stays strong, and likeable, in this adaptation.

Now that it’s all over, it’s only a matter of time to see what the next franchise will be.

And whatever it is, it better have a blob monster.