The end to an adventurous, wild and heartwarming series, The Hunger Games has continuously grabbed audience’s attention with both its books and movies. The final movie, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two, was released Nov. 19 in theaters around the country.
According to CNN Money, Mockingjay “easily†topped the box office in it’s opening weekend with an estimated $101 million in the U.S.; the fifth highest opening of the year.
What started out as just a game turned into a battle for justice with all of the powerful Katniss Everdeen fights to restore Panem. Author Suzanne Collins wrapped up the series, leaving the audience wanting more but realizing that the end was near for the series.
The story picks up where the previous Mockingjay film left off: the rebels from Panem led by Everdeen are in the midst of a full-scale uprising against the still standing capitol led by President Snow.
Audiences shared both good and not so good things to say about the film.
“I thought the movie was perfect,†Trent Anderson, a University of Rhode Island sophomore, said. “The acting was phenomenal especially by Jennifer Lawrence. The adaptation from the book was perfectly matched up.â€
Critics have said it would be “unwise†for anyone who has not yet seen any of the previous films to jump in this late to the game. Peter Debruge, chief international film critic for Variety.com said Mockingjay Part Two is “no mere sequal, but the finale of an ambitious narrative,†but a film that relies on it’s connections in the previous films.
URI sophomore Lauren DeThomasis agrees with Debruge.
“I really liked the movie,†DeThomasis said. “I watched part one and part two in a row so I knew where the movie left off. I thought it was very well made and they kept up the intensity of all the other movies I was on the edge of my seat because I didn’t read the books and didn’t know what was going to happen.â€
Mockingjay Part One has been said to be a more laid back film and the second installment was really more action-packed and filled with twists and turns.
IMDB users rated Mockingjay a 7.1 out of 10 stars overall. Their demographics show only 15.2 percent out of the 43,687 users rated it at 10 out of 10 stars. URI junior Mark Canny said that loved the movie, but felt it was rushed.
“I enjoyed it as a movie, it was dramatic, action-packed, and had great acting,†Canny said. “But I think that they tried to squeeze too much into the time limit and it felt rushed to me.â€
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part Two can be seen at Entertainment Cinemas (Cinema 8) in South Kingstown, Showcase Cinemas in Warwick, and in IMAX at Providence Place Cinemas 16 located in the Providence Place Mall.