By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Everything you need to know about 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2'
dca1eca1039af152691f31695180eadb41081cfde713943aca702e04d993366a
You've been waiting for it and now it's finally here. Before you head to the theater here is everything you need to know about "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2." - photo by John Clyde
DISTRICT 13 Its finally here, the movie many of you have been waiting for since 2012. The finale of the Hunger Games saga is now in theaters and just waiting for you to come watch.

The final installment is not the best of the series, but it has some tense and exciting moments while doing its absolute best to wrap everything up nice and tight.

I could sit here and yammer on and on with a lot of set up and fancy words, but lets be honest; you just want to know how the movie was. In fact, you dont even really care what I thought because youre going to see it no matter what I thought. Thats fair, but youre getting my opinion anyway.

Heres what you should know about The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.

Brutal

Its a bold claim to say that this final Hunger Games is the most brutal of the four films considering its a series about kids being thrown into an arena and forced to kill one another for sport. Well, Im saying it, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is the most brutal film of the series.

Even though an actual Hunger Games isnt present in this film, it still has all the elements of the games, and people get killed one after another in horrifying ways. There isnt a high gore level in the film, but the brutality is in your face and constant. Toward the end there are some acts of war that are a bit hard to swallow, so be prepared for that.

Entertaining

As someone who read the book series, I was worried about this last film. Full disclosure, I was not a fan of the final book, and I was pretty lukewarm on the previous movie, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1. With all that I wasnt sure how I was going to like this movie, but I was surprised, it was entertaining and kept my attention.

Much like the second film, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, this finale managed to improve upon the book and make the characters decisions more believable and motivated. As always Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic and Josh Hutcherson turns in his best performance of the series.

Even though I knew the outcome I was excited to see the end result play out on film, and all in all I was not disappointed.

Dark tone

I saw Secret in Their Eyes earlier this week and that film was dark, really dark. Then later in the week I saw this movie and it was also dark. Not Secret in Their Eyes dark, but darker than any other Hunger Games film. With all that I need to watch Elf or some Ernest movie.

I enjoy a well-done dark film from time to time, but I think it was just too much for me in one week. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 has a dark undertone and leaves you empty at times as we see the horrors of war and how no one walks away a victor. This doesnt mean the film necessarily ends on a depressing note, but the film as a whole is not a pick-me-up smile fest. Then again, none of the films have been, but this one takes it to a new level.

Whats in it?

With all this said it shouldnt come as a surprise that The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is for older teen audiences. Again, everyone has to make their own decision and children have a different maturity level, but this movie is intense, brutally violent and, at times, incredibly depressing.

There is no language in the film and nothing more than a kiss or two from a sexuality stand point. All of the PG-13 rating comes from violence and thematic elements.

Conclusion

This is a solid ending to what has been the best young adult novel adaptation to date. The first film and Catching Fire are still the best of the series, but fans of the films will like the finale, and fans of the books will like that the filmmakers stayed true to the original storyline.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action and for some thematic material.
Sign up for our e-newsletters