The whole world watched as our heroine, Katniss Everdeen, stormed through the streets of Panem towards the capital. With her bow and arrow in hand and her unwavering determination, she continued on in the face of overwhelming odds. It’s been three years since the world was introduced to the Hunger Games movies based on Suzanne Collins’ books. Thanks to Jennifer Lawrence’s genuine and stunning performance as Katniss Everdeen, the final installment of the Hunger Games was a huge success, and the perfect movie to watch this holiday season.

The movie opened with our strong heroine getting vocal therapy after being choked by a brainwashed Peeta. Troubled by Peeta’s new violent actions, Katniss quickly tries to escape him. In these moments, Lawrence is able to convey the feelings of a love torn Katniss with ease, bringing a new light to this character. After leaving District 13, she teams up with a group of elite soldiers and previous Hunger Game victors to shoot propaganda videos to inspire the rebel troops. Lawrence’s immediate shift from torn lover to captivating leader proves her versatility as an actress. Throughout the series Jennifer has proved herself as an inspiring actress and this movie is no different. The passion that she brings to this independent, and at times rogue character, makes the complicated Katniss easier to relate to. She has transformed this character into a Joan of Arc-like heroine that young girls across the country look up to, and because of this I highly admire her work.

After being exposed to this dangerous environment again, Katniss quickly convinces everyone to switch their focus to fighting against the capital and ultimately to pursue her goal of killing President Snow, the tyrannical president of Panem. As she approaches the inner depths of the Capitol, her team is confronted with pods or traps that the game makers have designed to set off an attack on anyone who crossed them. At this point in the series, most of the characters have witnessed an extreme amount of atrocities and most suffer from some level of PTSD creating some interesting character shifts. The mortal traps, enemies and peacekeepers have turned the capital into another game much like the Hunger Games itself, and Katniss is yet again forced to find a way out.

Although it hasn’t been as profitable as the previous three Hunger Games movies, Mockingjay Part 2 has still been incredibly lucrative earning $101 million in box office sales. As someone who read and enjoyed all the books, I was a little disappointed when they decided to split Mockingjay into two parts, but I still really admired many aspects of the movie. The movie’s theme of war and how it reflects on many of the violence that has become commonplace engages me as it is easily relatable. Much of the news I see today reminds me of this dystopia and how it has become less and less of a stretch from reality. Despite all the violence and commotion in this thrilling end to The Hunger Games, it is definitely the movie to see this holiday season.