Mockingjay: Part 2 takes flight

Hailey Loftin
Staff Writer

​      The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 had great expectations, and it does not disappoint. It is jam-packed with action, romance, and betrayal. The series finale has been long-awaited by fans of the series, and it was worth the wait.
      Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) returns in the final installment of The Hunger Games to finish the war that she has inspired. This movie presents new challenges that she has not yet faced; someone who she loves has become a different person, and she struggles with loss throughout the film.
      Mockingjay was cut into two movies. The first one took Katniss to District 13 without fellow District 12 citizen Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), who was captured by the Capitol. In District 13, childhood friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth), her mother (Paula Malcomson), and her beloved sister Prim (Willow Shields) were waiting for her. She discovered her role as the Mockingjay there. Near the end of the movie, Peeta has recovered from the Capitol but is no longer himself.
      Mockingjay Part 2 picks up where Part 1 left off. Katniss moves around the districts with her team, which includes Peeta. His arrival disconcerts the squad; Peeta is still very unstable from his time being tortured in the Capitol. Katniss loses many members of her team, but eventually the rebels make their way to the Capitol.
      This film did an excellent job of following the book. As with any movie based on a book series, a few things were changed or taken out, but they were minor and barely noticeable. Action scenes, though, were difficult to follow. There were several instances where it was difficult to see which character was dying or injured because there was so much going on. For those who have read the books closely, however, there will be no problem knowing who is whom.
      The movie ends with a scene that highlights the series’ main emotion: hope. President Snow says in The Hunger Games, “Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear.” The hope that the citizens of the districts maintained led to the destruction of the government of Panem, proving Snow right. Katniss closes her story looking to the free and peaceful future. It was a fitting ending to the series that showed that good wins over evil.
      Mockingjay Part 2 ended the series perfectly. It was bittersweet, just as the end of something great always is.  

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