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Score: 7.5/10
The first half of this movie is exactly what I wanted it to be. It's a slower burn than the first one, in a good way. There are a lot more layers to the characters and a much more complex conflict than in the first movie. In many ways this is when the real story of the Hunger Games begins.
The political elements of the film are fantastically done. The Peacekeepers invoke fear in the audience and the Capitol feels like a force to be reckoned with. A highlight scene in the film is when Peeta and Katniss visit district 11 and give speeches to the families of thresh and Rue. The hope that their speeches inspire is immediately shut down by the peacekeepers and they are cut off from it. The movie does a fantastic job of creating a feeling of dread while also keeping a glimmer of hope in every scene.
The love story between Peeta and Katniss is very well handled and even ties in to the political side of the film in many ways. The love triangle with Gale is not my personal favourite thing about this film, and I don't think it was really necessary.
The first half is a slow, rich and layered political thriller, but in my opinion it is let down by the second half of the film. The actual Hunger Games part of the film feels like it distracts from the main story in a lot of ways the idea of "remember who the real enemy is" gets slightly lost in the haystack during the games. Maybe it was intended to be this way, but in my opinion it makes the movie feel less focussed and less gripping to watch.
The ending is the worst part of the film. It is incredibly abrupt, anticlimactic and has a stupid twist which had no set up at all.
Overall I did enjoy it more than the first one, but the ending lets it down for me |
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24-11-2021 14:02:48
