As if I couldn't hate Jennifer Lawrence any more than I already do, I managed to find more hate. (Sarcasm, of course.) She can sing. I mean, she's not going to be the next Carrie Underwood or Ariana Grande, but her singing is more than acceptable.
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is in District 13, which managed to survive by hiding underground but she is confused and wants Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) back. But the President of District 13, Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) needs her to rally the remaining districts to rebel against the Capitol and the nasty Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland), great first name, by the way. She is reluctant to at first, until Coin gives in to her demands, which include rescuing the other victors, in addition to Peeta, this includes Johanna (Jena Malone) and Finnick's (Sam Clafin's) girlfriend, Annie (Stef Dawson). Plus, her sister, Prim (Willow Shields) gets to keep her old cat Buttercup, in an area where cats aren't allowed. After some hesitation, Coin gives in and Katniss begins her mission, including exploring the heavily bombed District 8, where the long forgotten baby issue is brought up again. At the makeshift hospital, where Katniss promises she will fight for them, one woman asks her what about the baby, and Katniss even manages to look sad as she says that she lost it. Of course, she was never pregnant in the first place, and if she was, it is perfectly plausible that she would miscarry after everything her body went through in Catching Fire. But Snow finds about Katniss's visit and bombs the hospital, leaving Katniss furious and completely on the side of rebellion. Beadie (Jeffrey Wright) has even figured out a way to get the messages through to the districts which is good. However, Peeta is being used as a sort of pawn, urging the fighting to stop altogether. Too many people will die, on both sides if this continues. Guess what? He's right. The Peacekeepers kill many, but the people, despite being suppressed and overworked, fight right back, bombing the Peacekeepers and breaking a damn which makes the electricity in the capitol go out, which means that the long-awaited rescue mission for the victors can begin.
Gale (Liam Hemsworth), naturally, joins the fight. He is by Katniss's side every step of the way, and is one of the soldiers who goes on the mission to rescue the victors while Katniss tries to distract Snow and Finnick broadcasts the deep, dark secrets of how Snow has remained President for so long. The secret? Poison.
Gale returns, and doesn't understand why even if Snow knew they were there, he did nothing to stop them. Johanna is fine, despite a shaved head and Annie is fine but Peeta, though he looked better than I thought, something is wrong as he immediately attacks Katniss and nearly succeeds in choking her. I thought the film would end there, but it doesn't, lucky for us. Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman) explains that Peeta had been drugged, using Tracker Jackets and his memories have been compromised. They probably planted false ones in there, erasing his true memories, meaning he now sees Katniss as an enemy.
Though Coin declares this a victory and Panam will be next, Katniss, unable to speak thanks to her injuries and the neck brace, sees Peeta in his own room, restrained, banging himself against the edge of the bed while Katniss watches, distressed.
This film is pretty good, not as good as the first two, but good nevertheless. However, it felt incredibly long despite being nearly half an hour shorter than the first two. Still, the acting is brilliant, with Lawrence turning in another top notch performance and Hutcherson is great in this smaller role, trying, in vain, to get Katniss to think for herself. The cinematography is haunting, and editing flawless and the scenery brilliant, so when it is destroyed, it is truly devastating.
Even the new cast additions are great, in addition to an always spectacular Moore, Patina Miller and Natalie Dormer are great, more great roles for strong female characters.
Harrelson and Tucci continue to be great in their limited roles. However, sure Katniss is still strong, but her heart is battling between two guys and she needs to pick one of them. While I want this to happen, she is strong enough not to need a man, though her character proves differently. I want to pick neither of them, choosing to be by herself, at least for now. And Peeta is right. She is being used by District 13 as a means to an end, but she does believe in the cause. Of course, she does things in her own way, refusing to perform on demand. Grade: B+
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