The final installment in the blockbuster adaptations of Suzanne Collins’ hit young adult book series, The Hunger Games, has finally reached theaters. In the months leading up to the release of Mockingjay: Part Two, I was surprised by the lack of discernable excitement about the film among my peers. Many, it seemed, were not even aware of the film until after its release. Nevertheless, the movie has been widely successful on a national scale, topping the ticket sale charts every weekend since its theater debut on November 20.

This film picks up right where Mockingjay: Part One left off. The rebels of District Thirteen are preparing to mount their final assault on the Capitol and end President Snow’s tyrannical regime. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is becoming disillusioned with her role as the “face of the revolution” and takes it upon herself to avenge those wronged by Snow, specifically her former fellow Tribute from District Twelve, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Her path is lined with dangerous traps and terrible losses, and she will be faced with choices that will determine the future of Panem and the lives of the millions looking to her for guidance.

I was not necessarily highly motivated to see this film. I found Mockingjay: Part One to be extremely slow, and I strongly disliked the book when I read it in eighth grade. In the end, I felt obligated to the characters whom I had grown to love to see them through to the end of their journey. While I cannot speak to how well the film followed the book because it has been so long since I read it, I can say that it was an incredible conclusion to the beloved series. It struck a remarkable balance between action and emotion, and it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. One detail in particular that I enjoyed was Katniss’ appearance. In the book, Katniss is only seventeen years old when the events in Mockingjay transpire, and her age is part of the reason her story is so intriguing. Because of Jennifer Lawrence’s age, Katniss comes across as much older in the previous movies, as do all of the other characters. I enjoyed how much younger Katniss looked in this film as it added to the emotional impact of her decisions and her experience. Additionally, the visual effects are absolutely incredible, with the terrors unleashed by the Capitol to slow the rebel advance and the war-ravished landscapes appearing frighteningly realistic.

Despite all of this, the film was definitely not perfect. The love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Katniss’s best friend Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) felt awkward, forced, and terribly underdeveloped. It felt as if the romance was shoved in to contain what Hollywood seems to think teenage girls need to be attracted to an action based film. While I had no problem with the romance in the book, I felt that the on-screen portrayal lacked depth and development. In addition, Katniss makes an impossible decision at the end of the movie that I feel was not explored as much as it should have been. The last quarter of the movie felt quite rushed, and as a result the moral implications of Katniss’s choice within herself went unaddressed. Considering how slow the last movie felt to me, I feel that the plot could have been split more evenly between the two movies.

Overall, I would recommend the movie to those who have read the books and love the characters as I do. Otherwise, unless you are a fan of the growing genre of young adult dystopian films, this movie probably is not for you.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5)