It’s not every day an entire fandom heads to the theaters to shed their final tears for a movie series that shaped a generation. On November 20^th, Hunger Games fans, myself included, did exactly this. The fourth installment of the Hunger Games Series, Mockingjay Part 2 was one of the most emotional endings to a book trilogy transformed into a movie series to ever hit the big screen. Having watched a double feature of both Mockingjay Part 1 and 2 in theaters the night of the premiere, the impact was twice as emotional. As the opening scene came onto the screen, every child, adult and even grandparent in my packed theater raised his or her three fingers to not only show one of the known symbols of the franchise, but to acknowledge the end of an era.

The movie begins just as the previous movie ended, with Peeta hijacked into thinking Katniss is the enemy and the promise of a revolution slowly on the rise. Tons of action takes place in this film, as the previous one was merely the propaganda and set up for the actual operation to take down the capitol. Buildings are demolished, allies are turned against one another and the capitol itself is turned into what Finnick describes as “the 76^th Hunger Games”.

Of course, for those that read the books, there is also the devastating deaths of the major characters many refuse to believe had truly passed until it’s played out right in front of them. I, like many others, shed tons of tears throughout the film, even simply at the opening credits knowing it was the beginning of the end.

Though I won’t spoil anything for those who have failed to see it yet, I will say that, for someone like myself who critiques movies based on books down to the very details of a persons clothing, this movie was nearly an exact replica of the brilliant work of Suzanne Collins. If you haven’t gone to see Mockingjay Part 2 yet, it’s not too late! The amazing fourth installment of the Hunger Games is still playing in about every theater near and around Marlboro. You don’t have to read the books to enjoy the movie, but I do highly recommend a box of tissues.