The latest 'Hunger Games' movie is not short of exciting fight scenes, especially at the end, but to start from the beginning may be best. Listing the main missing film features seems apt, before naming the better aspects of the movie.
The plot is predictable and the story line is weak to say the least, due to repetition of the main themes in the previous hunger games productions. The books may have kept us on edge with their literary descriptions, each time a new one came out, but the films do not have this luxury of novel wording and prose.
The characters, except for Katniss, are pseudo non existent, even in the culminating final scenes where all is at stake.
The dialogue, especially the important one between Peeta and Katniss, is almost childish and feels forced. It is almost like ideas and feelings are being spelt out to the audience, when we are of course fully capable of understanding complex dialogue and would much prefer subtlety in conversations on screen.
The beginning and middle parts are way too long in my opinion and need some hard core editing, but it seems there is a trend now of going back to elongated visual stories (such as in 'Spectre' I found).
From a more neutral point of view, the atmosphere is generally a dark one, with subdued colours and a low budget feel to the setting.
There is a 'Horror' element to this thriller, specially noted in three scenes: one is the scene with the black 'goo' type thick liquid threatening the protagonists, and almost coming to life as it 'climbs' the stairs after them.
The other is the one with the disintegrating weaponry used by the Capitol, which has a supernatural effect on the remains of the dead, in that we only see them as metallic dust or specs rather than organic bodies after they are shot down.
The third and final horror like scene is the one with the fighting entities that look like a cross between humans and aliens, and that are engineered by the capital, and sent after Katniss and her friends in the shadowy underground. This scene is very likely digital because of the speed of movement and shapes of these creatures.
These parts of the film also have a 'jump off your seat'' feel to them, which usually accompanies horror films.
The build up to the end scenes is good because we get a sense of suspense and justice with themes such as sacrifice, leadership and love, coming through and pulling us higher so to speak.
The essence of this film is the conflict between the notion of political leadership brainwashing the minds of the masses, on one hand, and the notion of trusting one's instincts and emotions to counteract such illusions and destructive forces, on the other. Katniss is an expert in this, as she is an individual; both a warrior as well as a caring sister and friend, who follows her instinct in the end in making a major decision and taking a risk.
This idea of trust and emotional judgement is portrayed also when a small child recognises Katniss and is deciding whether to give her up to the capital forces or not.
The movie is beautifully charged with emotions, ranging from fear to courage, and from hatred and revenge, to love, responsibility, and redemption.
The treachery of the capitol justifies Katniss's decisions and give the ending a good buildup.
The scene with the cat is an especially moving one, because it conveys the idea of how emotions can be transferred and how this projection is at times therapeutic.
Kat is the girl on fire definitely, as is shown in one of the scenes with her jacket aflame.
She is the mother, the warrior and the saviour, the phoenix reborn of it's ashes.
This is ultimately a film which fights oppression and votes for freedom from politics and its gaming with people's precious lives.
Game on.
The plot is predictable and the story line is weak to say the least, due to repetition of the main themes in the previous hunger games productions. The books may have kept us on edge with their literary descriptions, each time a new one came out, but the films do not have this luxury of novel wording and prose.
The characters, except for Katniss, are pseudo non existent, even in the culminating final scenes where all is at stake.
The dialogue, especially the important one between Peeta and Katniss, is almost childish and feels forced. It is almost like ideas and feelings are being spelt out to the audience, when we are of course fully capable of understanding complex dialogue and would much prefer subtlety in conversations on screen.
The beginning and middle parts are way too long in my opinion and need some hard core editing, but it seems there is a trend now of going back to elongated visual stories (such as in 'Spectre' I found).
From a more neutral point of view, the atmosphere is generally a dark one, with subdued colours and a low budget feel to the setting.
There is a 'Horror' element to this thriller, specially noted in three scenes: one is the scene with the black 'goo' type thick liquid threatening the protagonists, and almost coming to life as it 'climbs' the stairs after them.
The other is the one with the disintegrating weaponry used by the Capitol, which has a supernatural effect on the remains of the dead, in that we only see them as metallic dust or specs rather than organic bodies after they are shot down.
The third and final horror like scene is the one with the fighting entities that look like a cross between humans and aliens, and that are engineered by the capital, and sent after Katniss and her friends in the shadowy underground. This scene is very likely digital because of the speed of movement and shapes of these creatures.
These parts of the film also have a 'jump off your seat'' feel to them, which usually accompanies horror films.
The build up to the end scenes is good because we get a sense of suspense and justice with themes such as sacrifice, leadership and love, coming through and pulling us higher so to speak.
The essence of this film is the conflict between the notion of political leadership brainwashing the minds of the masses, on one hand, and the notion of trusting one's instincts and emotions to counteract such illusions and destructive forces, on the other. Katniss is an expert in this, as she is an individual; both a warrior as well as a caring sister and friend, who follows her instinct in the end in making a major decision and taking a risk.
This idea of trust and emotional judgement is portrayed also when a small child recognises Katniss and is deciding whether to give her up to the capital forces or not.
The movie is beautifully charged with emotions, ranging from fear to courage, and from hatred and revenge, to love, responsibility, and redemption.
The treachery of the capitol justifies Katniss's decisions and give the ending a good buildup.
The scene with the cat is an especially moving one, because it conveys the idea of how emotions can be transferred and how this projection is at times therapeutic.
Kat is the girl on fire definitely, as is shown in one of the scenes with her jacket aflame.
She is the mother, the warrior and the saviour, the phoenix reborn of it's ashes.
This is ultimately a film which fights oppression and votes for freedom from politics and its gaming with people's precious lives.
Game on.
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