Critics praise Jennifer Lawrence in "Mockingjay - Part 2"
The reviews are in, and most critics agree that "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2" is a satisfying conclusion to "The Hunger Games" series.
This installment of "The Hunger Games," which hit theaters Friday, follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Finnick (Sam Claflin) as they leave District 13 to try and free the citizens of Panem and assassinate President Snow (Donald Sutherland).
Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers sums up what he thinks makes "Mockingjay - Part 2" better than "Part 1": "The good news is that 'Mockingjay - Part 2,' the big finale, has quit the ass-dragging in favor of what made the book a page-turner. There's the visual fireworks, for sure. But there's also the darkness of the theme about how power can corrupt heroes as well as villains."
Lawrence, the undisputed star of the franchise, received the bulk of the praise, with Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly saying she skillfully carries the movie, and New York Magazine critic David Edelstein saying, "'Mockingjay -- Part 2' is all Lawrence, though a couple of others have their moments." Travers says, "Even when the 'Hunger Games'series gets winded pimping old tricks, Lawrence is the oxygen that brings it back to life."
Jena Malone also receives high praise for her role as Johanna Mason, District 7 winner; New York Times critic Manohla Targis calls the actress "sensationally raw," while Edelstein says she brings a "delightfully twisted" energy to the film.
But a couple of the "Hunger Games" actors are getting panned in several reviews. Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times calls Hutcherson "bland," and says, "Throughout the series [he] has been the weakest bit of casting." Targis calls both Hutcherson and Hemsworth "unmemorable" and "blindingly bland," while Edelstein calls Hemsworth "hopeless; he makes a dull role duller." Edelstein also says Hemsworth and Hutcherson have proved to be "two terrible casting decisions" from the start.
Here's a warning, though: Don't go see the "Hunger Games" if you're feeling fragile. Though most reviews say the movie is fast-paced and high-energy, they also describe the film as "grim," "bleak" and "dark."
