Ending a series can be hard — expectations are high and pleasing people isn’t easy. 

However, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2,” directed by Francis Lawrence and starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, works on nearly every level.

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The end is here, and it is up to Katniss Everdeen, the titular Mockingjay, to finally take down President Snow and his dictatorship.

As the battle begins, Katniss realizes everything isn’t what it seems. Allies soon become enemies and situations become murkier as she goes. War is hell, and she finds herself right in the middle of the flames.  

To say the first Mockingjay was not impressive is an understatement. It is the worst in the series and makes viewers question the integrity of the franchise.

It came off as a studio milking a series as much as possible. In comparison, “Mockingjay Part 2” tries to take it all back, and for the most part, it does.

The film finally perfects the bleak tone the series has been fighting for.

In the first Hunger Games movie, the dark idea of children killing children is unevenly combined with a tame PG-13 rating.

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The rating doesn’t change this time around, but how the filmmakers use it does. Audience members will walk away feeling depressed and alone.

Peeta is a broken, tortured warrior, Gale has become a heartless soldier, and the people Katniss care about are dying and she can’t do anything to stop it. This, along with dark settings and tense set pieces, keep people with every character better than any other movie in the series.

This tone helps the film finally hit the series’ themes well.

Children fighting each other in an arena is an allegory for 18-year-olds going to fight in a distance land.

Excluding “Catching Fire,” the rest of the series fails at hitting that theme to its full potential.

This movie finally gets there, by going past being a teen version of the idea, and telling a good tale.

However, the film takes somewhat of a downhill turn at the end.

It is overbearing. It makes sure viewers know what the filmmakers are getting at to the point of nausea.  

Stars: 4 out of 5.

Jacob Pierce can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @JacobPierce1_DE.