THE FOLLOWING REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS OF THE DISCUSSED FILM(S). READERS DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
Finales are meant to be grand. In the memory of the 21st century, some finales can be looked at as so grand when the final story is split into two halves. Fans of fantasy book adaptations chewed this up with JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, as well as Stephenie Meyer’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. Off of that, it would be a given for them to do the same with Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.
PLOT
Part One follows Katniss Everdeen having been rescued from the Quarter Quell themed Hunger Games event, as well as tributes Finnick Odair & Beetee (now wheelchair-bound), while Peeta Mellark & Johanna Mason have been captured and taken into custody of the Capitol. They are hiding in the now underground District 13 after her action to shoot at the roof of the arena sparked riots among other districts. After reuniting with her family, she meets the rebellion’s personal president known as Alma Coin, who asks her to be the rebellion’s symbol by shooting propaganda to convince all districts to go against President Coriolanus Snow’s restrictions. She chooses to go forward with it once she sees the ruins of her home District 12 and sees Peeta on television being forced to quell the rebellion. Her main request is to have him pardoned once he and Johanna are rescued. When she struggles to shoot scripted propos, her closest friends, stylist Effie Trinket and mentor Haymitch Abernathy point out she should take part in something unscripted to have a better job convincing the districts. With a film crew of rebels from Panem, she goes to a crippled District 8, giving them inspiration with her presence. The crew includes: Cressida as Director, brothers Pollux & Castor (Elden Hudson & Wes Chatman) as cameramen and Mesalla (Evan Ross) as assistant director. Within this time, she would have D13’s Colonel Boggs and childhood friend Gale Hawthorne by her side as security. When Snow finds proof of her roaming D8, he orders an air strike at its hospital. When that happens, Katniss retaliates by shooting down Panem hovercrafts and gives a speech to revolt against the president. With Beetee hacking the Capitol’s news channel, he is able to stream the message which gets the attention of District 7 and inspires them to wipe out Peacekeepers. When the crew captures B roll footage of D12’s ruins, they also film Katniss singing, which would then be used to inspire District 5 to attack a hydroelectric dam that is the Capitol’s primary source of electricity. It is after this where Peeta is interviewed again by Caesar Flickerman, but signs of being emancipated and abused are more visible. At this point, Beetee capitalizes to hijack the signal again to show a propo of Katniss. Once he gets confirmation of her being alive, he chooses to go rogue and alert her the Capitol will attack D13. The heads up pays off as everyone in the district would evacuate into a deeper shelter to survive the attack. Once that blows over, Katniss considers filming another propo until seeing Snow has left white roses outside to warn her she will continue torturing Peeta. Haymitch would try to cheer her up when informing her Gale and Boggs are leading a troop of volunteers to rescue Peeta. While that happens, Beetee hacks the signal again with a live propo from Finnick. With the signal not proven to be strong enough, they shift the focus to allow Katniss speak to Snow directly. As Gale’s group succeeds in rescuing Peeta, she speaks from the heart clarifying she never wanted to represent a rebellion and only wanted to protect her sister Primrose (Willow Shields). She offers to take Peeta’s place, but Coriolanus turns her down as he sees through her deception, making clear he knows what she was doing. This gives Everdeen worry that she lost Gale & Peeta simultaneously, until the volunteer troops return. Not only is Mellark rescued, but also Johanna and Annie Cresta (Stef Dawson), the latter of which is Finnick’s girlfriend. When Katniss checks on Peeta, he only aggressively reacts towards her and strangles her until Boggs saves her by incapacitating him. By the time she recovers from the incident, former Head Gamemaker turned Rebellion ally Plutarch Heavensbee explains that Peeta’s mind has been hijacked, meaning that his memories have been manipulated for him to see her as his enemy instead of a woman he always loved.
Part Two would show a slow process for Peeta to regain his original memories of Katniss because whenever he hears her name or even thinks of her, he still believes her to be an enemy. Because of this, the Girl on Fire turned Mockingjay wants to go after Snow but Coin goes against her heading towards the Capitol until District 2 is secure. So she goes with Gale, Bogg, Haymitch, Beetee, the film crew & Commander Paylor of D8 (Patina Miller) to convince the said district to join them. It doesn’t work out as she gets shot in the crossfire. Thanks to her suit being bulletproof, designed by the late Cinna, her wounds are far from severe upon returning to D13. Despite seeing the footage of her being shot, Snow is sure she survived. Back at D13, Katniss tries to help Peeta remember her like before, but he instead claims to wish he didn’t give her the bread that inspired him to have a crush on her. Everdeen wants to kill Snow more than ever for what he’s done, but Coin is still against it and prefers waiting to head to the Capitol until they overthrow it with their firepower. As she waits, Finnick marries Annie but during the ceremony, Johanna declares covering for her to sneak into the Capitol. She sneaks into a medical shipment and joins a squad planning to infiltrate. When Coin finds out she snuck out, she takes the credit for it. Minus Beetee, Katniss’s squad includes: Gale, Boggs, Finnick, Lieutenant Jackson (Michelle Forbes), Second Lieutenant Mitchell (Joe Chrest), Corporal Homes (Omid Abtahi), the Leeg sisters of First Combat Division (Misty & Kim Ormiston), the film crew and Peeta who hasn’t fully recovered from being hijacked. The intent for the latter to be present is for him to take part in more propos with the rest of the squad. Before taking off, Boggs reviews a map showing an array of traps all over the Capitol, basically being designed as an unofficial Hunger Games in the eyes of Finnick. Although the squad avoids most of the pod traps, Boggs would be mortally wounded by one. Before the squad has to move on without him, he gives Katniss the map and warns him of Coin having ulterior motives once the rebellion is over. Mitchell gets killed as well when walking into the trap. When one of the Leegs gets injured, her twin sister stays behind with her to be sacrificed by Peacekeepers and the squad moves on. With the Capitol believing Katniss to have died, Coin delivers an eulogy to continue an inspiration for the rebels. The squad then moves into the sewers to avoid the pods. Danger would only resume from there because once Snow finds proof that the Mockingjay still lives, he sends genetically engineered mutts to go after them. In the process, Finnick, Jackson, Homes & Castor are killed by the creatures. When they get out of the tunnels and reach a subway station, Messalla dies from a lethal beam. Peeta panics in the midst of all this, but Katniss brings him back to his original self when kissing him. The remaining survivors take shelter of a stylist named Tigris (Eugenie Bondurant), estranged cousin of Coriolanus. Feeling guilty of all the casualties at this point, the Mockingjay considers going after the president alone. She feels confident when Coriolanus announces to deactivate the pods and invite the residents to his mansion for shelter. She and Gale try to be in disguise to infiltrate, only to be separated by the crowd during a rebel attack. Just as that happens, a hovercraft drops supplies from above, only to be bombs in disguise. When Katniss spots Prim present as a medic, her only sister would die from another explosion. The Mockingjay would be concussed from the situation again and when she wakes up, Haymitch informs her the war is over. When later entering Snow’s mansion, she confronts him in his garden. He explains that he was about to surrender before the bombs went off, admitting it wasn’t his doing and claims Coin was responsible. Katniss believes him since they swore to never lie to each other. Before confronting Coin of the bombs, she confronts Gale for never checking on her during her recovery, confirming he knew what Coin was planning and didn’t visit out of shame. When she sees Coin again, she takes part in a round table of past victors. Apart from Coin becoming interim president, the table of victors include: Peeta, Haymitch, Beetee, Johanna, Enobaria from D2 (Meta Golding) and Annie (who won the 70th annual games). Coin announces there must be a vote of having a symbolic hunger games involving the Capitol’s children. Peeta, Beetee & Annie vote no. Enobaria, Johanna & Coin vote yes, as well as a hesitant Katniss and Haymitch. The following day, the world believes the Mockingjay to publicly execute Snow, but she instead shoots Coin with an arrow to avenge Prim. She considers taking a nightlock pill to end her life until Peeta stops her. And as for Snow, he is killed by the mob. After this shocking fallout, Haymitch reads her a letter from Plutarch to assure her she will be pardoned and there will be no more Hunger Games. When they go home to the Victor’s Village of D12, she takes the time to grieve over her sister and restart her relationship with Peeta. Now living together, they get a letter from Annie giving an update on the lives of their allies: Apart from Annie raising her own child, Katniss’ mom (Paula Malcolmson) is training medical units in the Capitol, Gale became D2’s new captain and Paylor is sworn in as President of Panem. The story finally ends with an epilogue showing the couple having a family of their own, conceiving two children and the Mockingjay ponders the possibility of ever telling them of the past that brought them together.
THOUGHTS
I recall reading this book in 2012 shortly after enjoying Catching Fire (whereas I read the first book in 2011). So after reading these incredible stories back to back, I was sure justice would be done with their adaptations. The middle entry definitely delivered in every possible way, but this one is satisfying as well because the decision to split it into two halves was logical in order to not leave anything out. This also works in the long run to ensure every moment matters. Director Francis Lawrence does a great job slowing things down to express the political aspect that is shadowed around this dystopia, only to speed it up in patient style to the action packed setting fans are expecting. The production design and visual effects that bring Panem to life are at their finest here. That definitely benefited the list of action sequences that occurred. Whether it was giant hovercrafts, the light beams or the creepy ass mutts in the sewers, they definitely succeeded in being realistic. And the costumes designed to resemble how D13 was more military based compared to the others was a very distinguishable decision to make. James Newton Howard gives another set of incredible scores where it goes from severe tension to the long awaited majestic feeling of peace. This finale works overall because we are able to witness an alternative look on the rationalities of war: It is during these trying times where not only do we see people show their true colors when it comes to personal gain, but including how we must always think outside the box in order to be different from those who prefer staying as is. If we stay in the cycle of things we’re used to, society doesn’t change. One side can be oppressive while the other is anarchistic. This is exactly the journey we explore through the perspective of one of the greatest protagonists ever. In her final outing, Jennifer Lawrence gives her all with Katniss Everdeen. This time, she catches on how it’s hard to trust others and the only way she can keep her guard up is to give them what they want. She doesn’t want to be the figurehead/poster girl, but she is willing to do what it takes to bring things to an end. When it comes to saving Peeta, that is her sole priority because he’s the only one who understands her trauma. She was so obsessed with him surviving the Quell instead of her because she knew he would have better handling in supporting the rebellion. She doesn’t want the power, she just wants to be left alone and she gets that when she kills Coin. In one case, she did it for revenge. That is the short answer but in the long run, she is the one who ended the cycle of violence that shouldn’t have been. It’s been a tough debate on what was a sadder death between Rue and Prim. In reality, it is the latter. Both deaths are shocking because they’re past Katniss’ control. What makes Prim’s death the most impactful is because it was a casualty that should not have happened. If you think of the bigger picture, it’s quite traumatizing for Katniss because it resembles how their father died in a mining incident as shown in the first film. What you do respect from her is how she keeps her composure until she goes home. Despite the loss, the choices she made were still worth it because she got the true life of a victor when the war was over. If there is a bright side to her new lease on life, she still has someone to share it with. Josh Hutcherson goes all out in what delt like a transformative take as Peeta. We see how physically/emotionally vulnerable he is because he is being pressured to do what he doesn’t want to do. And when he chooses to be himself again, the consequences result in him being a mindless weapon until his heart is restored. You can joke on how ridiculous it was for one kiss to bring him back, but it’s just another solid example that love conquers all. It was logical for Katniss to do that because she grew up a lover before a fighter. She still sticks with him in the end because they still connect off of the trauma. Katniss may represent defiance but Peeta represents salvation and that is where she feels inseparably safe around him. It warmed my heart when she said her love for him is real because it shows how much she’s appreciated him since. Gale really tested our buttons here because Liam Hemsworth showed him as a guy who acts out of neglect. It’s clear to him because he can’t stand how he only gets the attention of Katniss when she sees him in pain. She still kisses him out of pity and loathes how he’ll never be in Peeta’s shoes. And with the loss of his home, he has become radicalized to the point where contempt is a last resort of feeling to him. He’s not loyal to Katniss anymore, but instead loyal to the cause she sparked. And at this point, him knowing what Coin was gonna do destroys his arc worse than Jacob's arc from Breaking Dawn because it was a no return scenario. He may show regret, but it doesn’t change what happened. Although he became a good fighter, he wasn’t a good lover and he has to live with that. With such stakes at play, it is good to see that the Mockingjay still had friends to guide her on what to do. What Woody Harrelson does differently for Haymitch is that he is more honest than before and doesn’t half ass his answers. He knows Katniss needs to be in the moment to share how she feels which benefits the propos. He totally knew Katniss was gonna kill Coin because he knew she would be against the games. He’s not wrong saying she doesn’t disappoint because every action she does is satisfying. It was quite fitting for them to go home together because they would’ve not made it so far without each other. Effie does feel sidelined a bit because she wasn’t in on the rebellion and was taken at the last minute. However, Elizabeth Banks always reminds us she means well. She started out as a caretaker only to show us she's been a dear friend all along. It’s accurate for her to be by her side during the first use of propos because she was the one who tried to teach her to be comfortable with cameras in her face. Her last words to her were fitting on finding the life of a victor because the true victor is left in peace and she is happy she finally got that. What Philip Seymour Hoffman brings different to the table as Plutarch is that he’s almost immoral because even though he cares for Katniss, he has a stronger focus on the cause. He has to play both ways because the stakes are too high to pick a side again. He has a point to his code unlike Coin, which is where he differs. He is the first one to clarify democracy matters and he knows the complications behind it when rulers like Snow or Coin are on the throne. I was devastated when Hoffman passed away before his scenes were completed, but I was moved when Haymitch read his letter on behalf of the actor. Sam Claflin made us respect Finnick because he is as vulnerable as Katniss, relating to losing who they love and it drives him crazy. And once his love was safe, he regained his motivation to join the fight. He’s a good friend because it felt like Kat counted on him at this point to have her back. He assured that when he clarifies he wanted to go back for Peeta. He even goes out of his way to go over his propo lines which he didn’t have to do. His death stung because he just regained his happiness and he had to give it up for the cause. But of course, his death wasn’t in vain either since the war ended in their favor. Even when not in action, Jena Malone assures Johanna is the wild card because she still doesn’t have a filter. After what happened to her, she speaks her mind and doesn’t care. She may have jealousy over Katniss because she had to lie to be the poster girl, whereas she refuses to be something she isn’t. But she respects her for sharing the same will to live. I don’t blame her voting for another game because she wants Snow to feel hers and there is nothing else to say about it. Whatever life she is living after this, I hope it’s in peace as well. Beetee was still awesome because Jeffrey Wright is able to put his talents to better effect than before, despite being held back physically. He plays a heavy role in ensuring he spreads the message and because of that, his loyalty couldn’t be any more visible. It was a relief he didn’t vote for another game because like the others, he knew nothing would change. Going into new characters, Mahershala Ali made a standout performance as Boggs because he’s observant enough to know who is in the right when it comes to supporting the cause. He knew how two-faced Coin was and had to tell Katniss to ensure things do change once Snow is dealt with. And with that being said, you can’t really deny he is the unsung hero for telling the right person. What Natalie Dormer brought to the table when playing Cressida is that she is someone who wants to put her potential to good use and it’s obvious she is proud to do it when sending an important message. When an arc reaches an end, you know the big bad is gonna go down swinging and it was quite the moment to see this story go for two. Donald Sutherland may have lived up to the potential in playing Snow as a twisted individual for still believing in his beliefs long after defeat. However, he taught us there will always be bad leaders long after him and some of us would not have guessed it to be someone who was supporting the right cause. Julianne Moore catches us off guard when playing Coin as she appears friendly until she expresses edge. You catch on to how she’s holding out and was bound to act decisively. She was willing to do anything to steal the throne and didn’t care if it involved betraying the face of the rebellion. It didn’t matter whether or not she knew Prim would be there because the bottom line is that she went out of line sacrificing people that didn’t have to be. That is where she differs from Snow because he always showed his true colors and was more shameless about it. You want to sympathize with her originally because she lost her family in an epidemic, but she undoes that once her own set of selfishness. Snow dies laughing when the arrow goes to her instead of him because he was in awe that he was proven right. And as for him, he didn’t deserve a quick death like we expected. With two birds taken down in one day, a new era finally happened that we were proud to see unfold. Both halves of this finale hold up very well, whether you see them separately on separate nights or together overnight. However, there were many moments that confused me to this day. For example, how the hell does Katniss still have the pearl Peeta gave him? It was cute for him to give it to him during the Quarter Quell, but she didn’t have any pockets on her suit, so she’s lucky to have kept it tight on her sleeve. I was so disturbed seeing the destruction of D12, but where did that dog come from? It may have been a stray in advance to the scene, but it’s so out of pocket because no one in that district had ever been seen with a pet unless it was a cat. Katniss makes a bold request to ensure Peeta gets pardoned once he’s rescued, which was worth it in the long run, but was it really a good idea for her to be within the vicinity of the crowd when it got announced? They didn’t like that announcement, so she should’ve been in whatever counts as a higher form of protective custody after this. I even thought it was odd for Coin to point out Katniss wouldn’t be safe for her to go to D8 when it was already a bad idea to let her go to the ruins of D12. This only proved Katniss right that she wouldn’t be safe anywhere she went until the war would end. Is it me or was the crowd of D13 a little too excited when Katniss filmed her first propo? I mean they saw footage of a hospital getting destroyed and even though she’s sending an important message, I wouldn’t be giddy after what was shown. I never want to say anything bad about Katniss’ mom since she does nothing to advance the plot. But that’s where it’s a problem for me here because she messed up allowing Prim to take her time getting her cat back and mistaking her to be looking for Kat during the evacuation. She’s lucky Kat & Gale got to her in time at that point. It was honestly pretty smart for Snow to brainwash Peeta into killing Kat, but why didn’t he do the same with Johanna? Since Peeta wasn’t close enough at succeeding, Johanna probably would’ve been quite the backup. And I don’t think they make it clear if Katniss is the only one with bulletproof armor. The likes of Gale and Boggs attend active war zones almost daily compared to her. And if they never had any, that’s pretty weird since what they wear seemingly looks like vests. Also, it may have been good for Katniss to go after Snow with a squad because she could’ve died alone. But if she really wanted to go alone, she should’ve not given herself away the second she left the hovercraft. I then wonder how come there weren’t any gates between the traps? It was pretty convenient for the tar to retreat, but why? It would be smarter for it to be left as is once released. I don’t want to root for Snow but if he wants to kill Katniss so badly, that would be one thing to make the obstacles harder to overcome before the mutts. It’s even ridiculously funny the Capitol couldn’t find footage of Katniss surviving the tar only after she entered the sewers. I mean Caesar had the footage on the fly seeing Kat’s squad enter a building not get out. I don’t know about you, but Katniss is pretty damn lucky to not be knocked out when being tossed by a mutt when she would instantly get taken down from an explosion. They were close at proving she’s not invincible until that happened. That was more confusing than figuring out how Buttercup was back at Victors Village without anyone telling Katniss. Ignore all of these issues, and you’ll still be able to enjoy both halves for what they are. In short, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay is a satisfying conclusion to the fantasy franchise for making every moment matter as its era ends in epic fashion. If you read the books and enjoyed the previous films, I promise you this two part finale does not disappoint.
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