Two staffers in PW’s children’s department caught a screening of the final film in the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay: Part Two, directed by Francis Lawrence, to be released in theaters on November 20. Here our moviegoing duo talk surprise character “shipping,” the political timeliness of the film, and life after the Games. Also, MEGA SPOILER ALERT!
NG: I have to say, overall, I think this was a really strong adaptation. One of those candidates for “maybe the movie was better than the book.” I say that with a heart full of love for Suzanne Collins. I’ve enjoyed all the books in the series, but the third volume of the book was kind of difficult to follow in a lot of parts, I think in large part because of the complicated battle and fight scenes. Having the action clarified on screen – with a sufficient amount of time to make everything work – made for a really strong film. And in some cases, things that were slightly changed from the book only made me happier. As for example, Gale’s storyline. I think in the book he’s quick to be shown as a monster, and pretty explicitly involved in the “let’s kill children for the cause” campaign, but the movie makes that more ambiguous. It humanizes him in a way that was not the case in the book (which had left me pretty upset). I know it’s just a novel, BUT.
In general, though, it was visually satisfying, well acted, and swiftly moving, with the exception of a few slow scenes toward the end that were meant to bridge to the epilogue, and which also sort of rushed Katniss’s grieving for a particular character. But I can understand that after all the filmmakers have put the audience through, maybe months and months of Katniss crying isn’t a priority to get on film.
MB: I also found the final installment to be gratifying, particularly when compared to Mockingjay Part 1, which truly felt like a bridge between the films, building up to this finale. There were few surprises, despite some online speculation that the ending might be significantly adjusted as PW previously reported. This felt like a conclusion designed to make fans happy, delivering on – and perhaps – surpassing their expectations. While Katniss was somewhat sidelined in the book, here she is very present and active in the rebellion. Katniss is at times frustrated, angry, and vulnerable, but she largely maintains her strength and composure until the war is over. I agree that Gale’s storyline was handled with a somewhat lighter touch than it was in the novel, making it clear to viewers that Katniss has made her choice between Peeta and Gale, without demonizing Gale. As I have enjoyed throughout the films, I found the integration of teenage characters alongside adult characters – with those of the rebellion working together practically as equals – to be especially appealing. The adult characters are as engaging – and in some ways more so – than the teenage characters. So, though it’s a YA series, it’s through some of these adult characters that it may speak to a broader audience. Wait… I think I just realized something: I might be Team Haymitch, uh-oh! We better move on…
NG: Well, let’s talk about THAT li’l chestnut thrown into the film.... Are there some Haymitch/Effie “shippers” (i.e., fans who encourage a relationship between characters) dominating forums somewhere that got the attention of filmmakers? I had to reread the ending to make sure I didn’t miss something, and in fact, the line that they put into Haymitch’s mouth toward Effie is in fact originally attributed to Plutarch, directed at Katniss. And then a kiss! My mind was blown! Clearly the franchise has a rom-com follow-up in mind to see the natural progression of this missed opportunity for a train wreck of a relationship. If anyone is fierce enough to sober up Haymitch, though, I think the odds would ever be in Effie’s favor....
I also am sort of glad there weren’t any huge deviations from the plot. As you mentioned, Jennifer Lawrence intimated in interviews that the ending might deviate from the book, though it largely didn’t, and I think it maintained its effectiveness. There was the sad reminder of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s passing, in seeing Plutarch in a few scenes but with few lines, and relegating an important scene between him and Katniss at the end of the book to a letter he leaves for her. You’re also right that in the book she is a bit more sidelined to the rebellion, but she finds a way to take a more active role in the film that doesn’t seem to change the content greatly.
MB: Definitely agree with the rom-com opportunity. I think it would be a great next step for the franchise. Maybe Suzanne Collins could follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling by creating Hunger Games-More. The possibilities are endless! But back to Mockingjay: I am glad that Katniss grieves for Prim in such an outward and emotive way toward the end. That the focus of the novel is very much about the impact of war on its survivors was clearly not lost on the filmmakers. Especially in light of recent events, I’m certain that the on-screen explosions and scenes of violence may hit a bit close to home for some viewers. Many of the reviews I had read of the film before seeing it commented on its bleakness, with some suggesting that the level of violence was overbearing and inappropriate. I can’t understand this perspective. I feel that one of the reasons why the series has always resonated so powerfully with readers is because of how Suzanne Collins refused to tell myths about war to readers. I felt that the filmmakers handled the material exceptionally well by making concessions for a young audience in terms of how much carnage was actually shown, without glossing over the impact of violence.
NG: It was definitely difficult to watch the film and not think about the many big, pressing issues of the day, which really drives home the power of Collins’s series. The Hunger Games series is dystopian, but inspired by so much of our current reality (Collins has said that watching reality TV inspired some of it), but now, seven years after the first book was released, the grimness of war, the effect of it on children, and the spectacle that surrounds it in media is all too relevant. And while a microcosm of our real-world situation, the scene with the refugees attempting to find safety really underscored that terrifying experience, and reflects in a heartbreaking way current headlines. And maybe this isn’t the place to get too political, but it was hard not to see current presidential candidates in the circus show of the back-and-forth media coverage mirrored in some of the characters.
MB: Yes, my brain was also drawing rapid-fire parallels between the way reality is conveyed through Panem propaganda and the images we see of U.S. presidential candidates in the media. I think this speaks again to what you mentioned about Collins’s awareness of how media can dictate our perceptions of individuals in the public eye. Clothing obviously plays a significant role in Panem, with Katniss’s attire taking on profoundly symbolic meaning depending on who is dressing her. I couldn’t help but think back to the pearls Hillary Clinton wore at the last debates and whether they were strategically placed for a reason. I know... we don’t talk about Clinton’s clothing because that’s not what matters. But, on the other hand, isn’t it naïve to pretend that an individual’s outward appearance does not impact viewers in subliminal ways? I think Katniss knows when she’s being manipulated by the media, which I think is one of the most important critical thinking skills a young person can have today, and maybe why she’s such a timely heroine.
NG: Not to mention the spectacle surrounding Trump’s campaign, and the violent rhetoric has rolled out following the tragedies in Paris, Beirut, and elsewhere, calls to mind both President Snow and President Coin. And his hair that looks like something straight out of the Capitol. I think that fashion is indeed one of the more genius themes throughout Collins’s series. Clothes are a really common point of access for teens to grapple with how to present themselves in the world, and a way for them consider how they want to be perceived. In a highly public world like Panem, where everything is televised and often live, Katniss’s clothes were often literal weapons or propagandic ones to move forward the rebellion. So, ultimately, in my opinion, Mockingjay Part Two was a really good film. Fun, but thought-provoking, and a solid adaptation of the novel that inspired it. I am sad it’s over, though! I really looked forward to each film (and book!) in the series. What to watch next, Matia???
MB: The very fact that our conversation has steered in a political direction speaks well to the effectiveness of the adaptation and its loyalty to the source material. Good point about the hair.... That is rather Panem-esque, right? Oh, and in case we forgot: he’s also a reality TV show star. So, yes, with such striking parallels, the elections may certainly fill the void left by not having a Hunger Games movie to look forward to (insert Face with Tears of Joy emoji). And after that.... Well, as we were leaving the theater and saw the poster for it, we discussed seeing the heartwarming family film Krampus, which I think is still a really solid idea, even though it’s maybe not technically based on a children’s book (at all). We could always, like Katniss, go rogue?
NG: I think that’s a capital idea. Clearly Krampus is inspired by children’s literature: he looks an awful lot like Struwwelpeter!
