Francis Lawrence (director)
Lionsgate (studio)
137 min (length)
19 November 2015 (released)
05 November 2015
The fans were desperately waiting for the final instalment of the saga and desperate they might stay, even after the screening. The film is filled with deaths, hopelessness, pain and sorrow. If you have read the books, you might feel prepared. But no one will walk out of this arena intact…
We left Katniss and the rebels in District 13, fighting for their freedom, advertising their mockingjay and reuniting with Peeta who, because of the acts of torture he has been submitted to by President Snow, is now very much willing to kill his fiancé.
Right from the start, we are back in District 13 and, via a bunch of uncomfortably close-ups, we understand that Katniss wants to kill Panem’s President Snow with a passion that knows no boundaries. There is a long moment where the film stagnates, leaving the audience a bit bored: Katniss is doing a lot of propaganda, there is a lot of inspiring speeches and a lot of bombs and deaths.
It gets interesting again when Katniss and her military units are making their way into the Capitol, trying to get to President Snow without being noticed by peacekeepers or killed by deadly pods spread around town. Will they reach their target? Will the peace be restored and the faith in humanity, regained?
This final film is depressing, beautifully sad and painfully real. War is ugly and there will be numerous casualties. You do not survive that kind of journey without scars and, even though it ends on a positive note, the story still feels incredibly melancholic.
The intensity of it all is mastered by the actors: Jennifer Lawrence went out of her comfort zone for her final moments in Katniss’ skin; Josh Hutcherson gives substance to Peeta, probably more than ever before and Seymour Philip Hoffman’s last performance is simply eerie. The scariest scene is probably the one in the tunnels, where you feel the darkness is going to swallow you whole. The ending is bittersweet.
Overall, the film is beautiful: images, soundtrack, actors and performances. But yes, it will make you feel sad and will leave you with dark shadows in mind.
