It's worth it, but it's less interesting than the first films.

Rating: 8/10 (3 May 2020)

This film is the third in the adaptation of the literary trilogy by Suzanne Collins, but, unlike the first two films, it brings only part of the last book to the cinema. I didn't read them, I have no particular intention of doing so for any particular reason, so I will ignore the books and focus on the film.
In this film, we follow Katniss' first steps as a revolutionary. After being rescued from the arena and recovering from her injuries, she discovers that she is with a group of rebels, the same ones who allegedly lost the civil war seventy-five years earlier, the same ones who inhabit the supposedly extinct District 13. After all, everything was a lie. Everything was a manoeuvrer by Snow's regime to hide the existence of a strong movement of political contestation. Alma Coin, the head of the Resistance, asks for Katniss's support, wants her to become a symbol, a mascot. But she only thinks about the fate of her friends, especially Peeta, who is in Snow's power and seems to have been brainwashed.
Well, after the second film turned out to be excellent it was difficult to do better, but it was totally possible to match it. I don't think that happened, although it is very close. This continues to be an excellent film and to be within a standard that does not clash or belittle the other two. I just don't seem to have managed to be that good. To begin with, I hate when a film based on a book splits into two halves, it is almost always a sign that there is immense straw that could be perfectly removed in an editing room by a skilled editor. The film, in fact, drags a little more than those that preceded it, but if the audience gets involved in the story it ends up not even noticing much. It is also a film that has a lot of sci-fi, the most focused on that genre in all of tetralogy.
Jennifer Lawrence has remained excellent, but it brings nothing that we have not seen. In addition, attempts to create a romantic plot around her character are weak and cold, whatever the target of Katniss's interest. Donald Sutherland continues to surprise and now gives us an almost perfect villain, in his megalomania, narcissism and thirst for control and power. He is truly an exceptional actor, at his best. Stanley Tucci was much more serious and restrained in the way he brought Cesar, a sensationalist TV host, to life, but it reveals how his character is just a puppet of the regime. Elizabeth Banks is an actress who reveals herself in this film, thanks to the profound mental and psychological transformation that her character will undergo here, and Woody Harrelson gains strength and seriousness, as she becomes one of the most fervent supporters of "Mockingjay". Julianne Moore alternates between contained sweetness and charismatic strength and presence; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright and Jena Malone are very good, but they don't do much more than they ask. Josh Hutcherson continues to sound weird, although in this film this is almost required by the character.
In addition to a great cast and a good story, the film has excellent production values: careful cinematography with good contrast, excellent sets and costumes and great CGI and sound effects that make fights and combats seem like they want to get off the screen . The soundtrack also deserves special mention for its effectiveness and beauty. Composed by James Newton Howard, it is one of those that remains in the ear long after we have seen the film.
Full of action and with an excellent story, this film is excellent, although it is not as engaging and intense as the film that preceded it. It drags on more, some scenes seem to be expendable, but that's what happens when, for money, a book unfolds in two films.