With the nation of Panem descending into full-blown war, witness how heroine Katniss Everdeen stages the assassination of President Snow
Natalie Dormer (left) returns as fellow rebel Cressida, aiding heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in the fight against the tyrannical President Coriolanus Snow.
After waiting a whole year for Part 2 of the Hunger Games finale, we are now hungrier than ever for more action.
In Part 1 of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, several Districts in Panem were decimated by Capitol forces, and the same fate threatens the remaining townships. Barely escaping capture, heroine Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence) is finally reunited with her partner Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).
Unfortunately, Peeta has been tortured to madness by Panem dictator President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland), who is increasingly obsessed with hunting Katniss down and crushing the rebellion.
Now, in this final showdown, Katniss rallies the angry citizens of Panem together to overthrow the tyrannical ruler.
She leads the army with close friends Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) and Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) to launch a suicide mission — storm the Capitol and assassinate President Snow.
A GAME LIKE NO OTHER
How will the rebels succeed, and what will the cost be?
This will be far from a walk in the park for the gang. As the Hunger Games series has shown so far, Snow is uncannily adept at staying one step ahead of his adversaries.
I personally found it disconcerting when, in Catching Fire, he sprang a surprise threat in Katniss’ home even before she had begun formulating her plans to revolt.
More recently, in Mockingjay Part 1, Snow took advantage of Katniss’ soft spot for Peeta, kidnapping the latter in order to lure her into the Capitol.
This time is no different. Anticipating the rebels’ advance, Snow has amassed a vast defence army and has transformed the Capitol into a giant minefield of traps and triggers. Every step of the way, the team must wrestle with deadly snares, formidable enemies and tough moral dilemmas. In this large-scale “game” of terror, the previous Hunger Games seem like child’s play.
An unprecedented arena of doom awaits the rebels. Will their mutiny be quashed by Snow’s devious schemes, or will they succeed in reforming the dystopian landscape of Panem?
GIRL ON FIRE
Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) supports her Hunger Games tribute-turned-ally, Katniss, in her final push for the revolution.
Thankfully, Katniss is here to save the day. She had previously shied away from leading the rebellion, but now the sharp-shooting heroine has embraced her role as the symbol of the revolution.
Fans have seen her grow from a young lady fighting for survival into a headstrong warrior leading the battle for liberty. In the trailers for the finale, she is seen addressing the armies of underclass citizens and urging them to turn their weapons against Snow.
A SATISFYING FINISH?
Can Katniss and Gale (Liam Hemsworth) reconcile their emotions and accomplish their mission?
This final stand is perhaps long-awaited and long-overdue, especially after last year’s Mockingjay Part 1, which many — including me — were disappointed by.
It robbed us of any truly satisfying action, to the point that the most exciting moment was when Katniss shot a single arrow at an aircraft.
Mockingjay Part 2 looks set to whisk us far above the rut that Part 1 left us in. In true Hunger Games fashion, get ready to charge with the heroes through quicksand-lined pathways, deceptively-normal buildings rigged with giant flamethrowers and ominous ink-black waves crashing through the streets.
But what I’m looking forward to the most is seeing the callous Snow finally getting his comeuppance. In particular, I would relish seeing Katniss and her gang tearing the Capitol down and completely decimating the dictator’s abode. Only then will my hunger finally be satiated.
By Pamela Chow
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 [PG13]
Director: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Natalie Dormer, Donald Sutherland & Elizabeth Banks
Genre: Action, Adventure
Run length: 136 min
Release: 19 Nov
Best Dystopian Characters
Photos: Murray Close; Mingle Media TV / Flickr; alexcatalps / Flickr
Hunger Games vs Divergent vs Maze Runner — who would emerge on top?
1. Most admirable hero
Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games
Between Divergent’s Beatrice Prior, Maze Runner’s Thomas and Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen, Katniss has grown and sacrificed the most. After battling internal and external struggles, she has grown from wanting to protect just her own family to fighting for the greater good and the whole of Panem.
Katniss would also triumph with her sharpshooting and wit.
2. Most detestable villain
Gally, The Maze Runner
Villains such as President Snow and Divergent’s Erudite leader Jeanine are easy to despise due to their attacks on the protagonists. But Gally of The Maze Runner makes us swing between sympathy (he was a victim too) and frustration at how he sabotages Thomas’ escape plans. This makes him the one we most love to hate.
3. Most fashionable character
Effie Trinket, The Hunger Games
Across all three dystopian series, no one’s style comes close to Effie Trinket’s. With dramatic collars, bubble sleeves, full-body corsets and colourful makeup, she has a wardrobe that many women would kill for (in or out of The Games). And who can tell it’s actress Elizabeth Banks under that get-up?
4. Most unexpected cameo
Veronica Roth as Dauntless member, Divergent
Divergent series’ author Veronica Roth appears as a Dauntless member in the first movie. She’s the first one through the door at the top of the Hancock Building before taking the zip line.
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