'Mockingjay' burns in final trailer

Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2014 at 4:51 PM Central

by John Couture

I wonder how many people out there have seen the Hunger Games films but haven't read the books. I mean that has to be someone out there, right?

There's probably millions of people out there like that, well, maybe thousands. The point is if you haven't read the books and you're going into the final book/films blind then buckle up because you are in for the ride of your life. Having read the books, I knew that Mockingjay was going to be a tough book to adapt.

The books are told from Katniss' perspective and only her perspective. So, many of the scenes in the final book, well many of the scenes necessary to move the film forward take place off the page as it were, so the adaptation would have to create a lot of new scenes to make the film, er films work. I guess that's a good reason why they needed to split the final book into two films, but I'm betting that money was the prime motivator in that decision.

Anyhow, there were other, smaller scenes added in the first two films, but nothing like Mockingjay. From the latest and final trailer, it would appear as though they nailed it. Oh, and if you think things are going to get any easier, just be forewarned that if it's possible to go to a danker, bleaker place than a couple of films centered on an annual contest where a bunch of kids kill each other for survival and glory, Mockingjay reaches those depths and goes beyond them.

I've always wondered how they were going to handle what will become the last half of Mockingjay Part 2. Were they going to remain faithful to the book? Or were they going to give it a more Hollywood ending?

Well, the jury is still out on that one, but one thing is certain. They aren't pulling any punches in Mockingjay Part 1, so it's a good bet that they plan to stay loyal to the book.