In Mockingjay - Part 2, Katniss vows to kill President Snow but at what cost? What friends and loved ones will she lose on the way to victory for the rebels? Check out Kidzworld’s movie review.
By: Lynn Barker
In The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2, war is hard. Katniss has to lie to friends in order to get close enough to personally kill the evil President Snow. Is she leading her pals into a death trap? And what about Peeta? Can she ever trust him again? How much must the Mockingjay and those around her sacrifice?
Katniss keeps Peeta goingCourtesy of Lionsgate
Warning: The following synopsis contains story spoilers
An Attack on District 2
With Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) still suffering from the Capitol’s mental conditioning, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) wonders if she will ever see the guy she knew again. Gale (Liam Hemsworth) plans a morally questionable attack on District 2 where a vast arsenal of weapons rests. Many non-combatants will be killed but, in war, it’s necessary.
Katniss and Gale run for safetyCourtesy of Lionsgate
Headed to the Front Lines
Katniss secretly aims to get to the Capitol to personally kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland). President Coin (Julianne Moore) sends Katniss and Cressida’s “propo” video team along with Finnick (Sam Claflin) and others in a squad to “fake” combat for war promotion. Also along is Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) who is still dangerous and unpredictable. Is he there to kill Katniss because Coin can’t control her?
Katniss and Cressida in the CapitolCourtesy of Lionsgate
Trek to Snow’s Mansion
Having to detect and avoid “Pods”, a gamemaker’s cleverly hidden weaponry throughout the Capitol, the unit slowly makes its way toward Snow. Team commander Boggs (Mahershala Ali) is killed along with others as they face a deluge of drowning oil and finally horrible, sub-human “mutts” that chase them through the sewers where brave Finnick is killed. With the help of Tigress, a former stylist for the Games, Gale and Katniss regroup and dress like Capitol citizens. Gale is captured.
Katniss and squad in the CapitolCourtesy of Lionsgate
Unthinkable Ambush
As Katniss reaches the mansion, a hoverplane drops parachutes carrying bombs that explode among a group of trapped children. The rebel medics including Katniss' sister Prim (Willow Shields) rush in to help the injured children but more bombs are dropped killing the medics, including Prim. Katniss is badly burned but the rebels take the Capitol.
Katniss watches the bombs fallCourtesy of Lionsgate
Aftermath
After physically recovering, Katniss, shaken over her sister’s death, confronts prisoner Snow in his rose garden. He says he didn’t order the bombing of the children or the medics. Coin did, successfully turning the last of Snow’s supporters against him. Heck, if he’d had a hovercraft, he would have escaped. Katniss believes him. Gale sadly admits that he helped develop the bombing strategy and doesn’t know what Coin did with it.
President Snow in his rose gardenCourtesy of Lionsgate
Final Confrontation
On the day Snow is to be executed, President Coin asks the remaining Hunger Games victors to vote on punishing the Capitol by holding a final Hunger Games that will target the children of the Capitol's leaders but this is just repeating the evil. Votes are taken. Katniss votes yes..for Prim. At a huge public execution, Katniss is to shoot and kill Snow. Instead, realizing that Coin is the enemy of the people, she launches an arrow that kills her instead. Snow is killed by the rioting crowd.
President CoinCourtesy of Lionsgate
Home at Last
With rebel District leaders in charge, Katniss is pardoned and sent back home to her Victor’s house in District 12. Peeta, having finally recovered from his mental ordeal has remembered his love for Katniss. They plant primroses in memory of Prim and gradually learn the fates of remaining rebels as they grow closer. Several years later, Katniss and Peeta have two small children and look forward to a hopeful future for them. Katniss tries to remember only the good from the war.
Primrose EverdeenCourtesy of Lionsgate
Mockingjay - Part 2 Final Trailer
Wrapping Up
Fans of the novels will be happy to know that this final chapter in the film series does follow the book very closely. Only a few developments in the novel are left out or shortened and they don’t affect the outcome.
Effie (Elizabeth Banks) with KatnissCourtesy of Lionsgate
Action sequences are impressive and tense but there is a lot of “down time” in between that slows down the momentum to the final resolution. This is probably due to an effort to include a lot of personal exchanges between characters that were in the novel. The sad and grim parts of the novel are also recreated well. Part 2 is far from the “feel good” actioner of the season but, if you are a fan, you know that.
Ready to kill SnowCourtesy of Lionsgate
Acting is still worthy. Donald Sutherland, Jennifer Lawrence and especially Josh Hutcherson, get to emote more than usual in this last wrap-up film. Overall? Satisfying. We go 4 stars.
Mockingjay - Part 2 Movie Rating:
Mockingjay - Part 2 Movie PosterCourtesy of Lionsgate
Mockingjay - Part 2 opens Friday, November 20th!
Have Your Say
Are you dying to see the final film in the Hunger Games series? Are you sad it is over or were you not a fan? Leave a comment below!
