The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 begins just after Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is nearly killed by a brainwashed Peeta (Josh Hutcheson), who was just rescued from the clutches of President Snow (Donald Sutherland).
The long-awaited final movie in the Hunger Games series delivers all the twists and turns we expect in anything to do with Panem. As they wait for all the drugs to leave Peeta’s system, Katniss and Gale (Liam Hemsworth) work with District President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore) to plan their attack on The Capitol.
A brief break from the preparations is the sweet wedding between Finnick (Sam Claflin) and his Annie (Stef Dawson).
Gale and Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) have been busy devising new and horrific ways to blow their way to Snow’s mansion while Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman) work with Katniss making propaganda films and consolidating all the districts into one fighting force.
The movie takes off when Katniss claims the right to kill the man who has used and abused her from the first, Snow. Snow evacuates the outer areas of the capital and mines the area with diabolical traps. A camera crew and a cadre of hand picked soldiers go with Katniss, Gale and one last minute addition — Peeta, in handcuffs.
As they get closer to their goal, the traps get worse. A sea of black goo is especially nasty, but not nearly as awful as the beasts who attack them in tunnels beneath the city.
What’s left of the team hide out in a Hunger Game’s Stylist’s store and she provides them with enough clothing so Katniss and Gale can try to blend in with the baffled capitol refugees. As the district soldiers surround the capitol the president offers asylum to everyone who can get to the capitol grounds.
The final battle is short and heartless.
President Coyne has taken over Snow’s presidential palace and has given Katniss a suite of rooms and run of the grounds. She finds Snow in a greenhouse surrounded by his beloved white roses. Their conversation opens Katniss’ eyes to what is going on.
She is included in a meeting of what would probably be the new government when Coyne takes control and proposes a Hunger Games featuring the children of the capitol, and that Katniss will assassinate Snow in a public ceremony. Katniss’ decision in the split second before her arrow flies changes the path Panem will take.
This final movie in the “Hunger Games” series follows the book amazingly well and the end will satisfy everyone. I will miss the adventures of Katniss and her strange world.
