Mockingjay Part 2 Movie is Better Than the Book. Real or Not Real?

Last night I got to see a double-feature of Mockingjay parts one and two. I liked getting to do that just to remind myself of the first movie, and to really get immersed back into the story. Also, I got to go with my YADC bud, Jenn from Bookshelfery, so we could fight over Gale and Peeta. Very important stuff, guys.

To be honest, I had zero expectations of liking this movie. Actually, after I agreed to go, I thought to myself, why on earth are you going to see this? If you were around here when Mockingjay (the book) came out, you'll know why. I DESPISED that book. For so many reasons, which you can read about here if you're interested.

So you can imagine my surprise when the credits started rolling and I realized I really liked this movie. Like . . . a lot.

*I'm going into the rest of this chat under the assumption that you have read MJ and know what to expect.*

So why did I like the movie so much better than the book? I think there were a lot of factors, but the number one reason, I would say, is that Hollywood understands that viewers want to feel hope, and have a little piece of Happily Ever After, and Suzanne Collins doesn't. Or maybe she just doesn't care. At the end of this movie, I didn't feel like killing myself, I actually felt like things could be ok. And to me, that makes a movie worth watching. Without it, it makes a book NOT worth reading (for me).

Overall, though, I just thought the movie did a little better job of explaining things, making sense of things, and leading you from one place to another. It was also much better paced. The action in the movie was SO awesome to see on screen. The death of Finnick didn't feel quite so pointless (though it still killed me, but it's not like they could keep him alive, I guess). I thought they did a good job of really showcasing him, instead of in the book where it just felt like, oh, see ya, Finnick.

I thought the movie did a better job of showing you Katniss's feelings for Peeta, also. I'll be honest, I'd take Gale every day of the week and four times on Sunday, but I do like Peeta. In the book it just didn't feel right to me, though. It always felt like Katniss just felt sorry for him and needed to make sure he didn't hurt himself . . . like a toddler. The movie made their relationship more real to me. And their chemistry has gotten better since that terrible cave scene they did in The Hunger Games movie (cue eye roll). At the end of this movie, I didn't feel like Katniss was only with Peeta because he was there, and she couldn't stand to be with Gale after the bombing of Prim. I actually felt like they made more sense. And that he wasn't going to snap one day and kill her in her sleep. However, there definitely could've been more kissing. A lot more kissing. Real or not real?

As far as the acting goes, I thought everyone did an amazing job. I loved Cressida and the film crew.

She was seriously fantastic. And getting to see Tigress. What a creepy, cool makeup job! Haymitch, Effie, Snow, Coin, Finnick, Prim, Plutarch, they were all so well portrayed.

I will say I was a bit disappointed that Prim's death wasn't a little more climactic. I feel like if you weren't watching closely, you could have easily missed it, and Katniss didn't have much of a reaction until much later when she was back at her house. I'm not sure if people who haven't read the book will pick up on the way the bomb worked, and that Gale was instrumental in its development, either. But, it was still in there.

Overall, I thought this was one of the absolute best book-to-movie adaptations that I've ever seen. They really stayed true to the storyline, but at the same time, made someone who didn't like the book, enjoy the movie. The action, the cinematography, the actors, the intensity, it was all pretty fantastic.

Now I'm off to District 2 to find Gale. He's going to need someone to comfort him.

The movie is better than the book. 

Real or not real?

 

 *Images from Lionsgate