The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2

If you have come this far with The Hunger Games and are still not on board stay away from Mock 2. There is nothing here but shades of the Arab Spring.

The games are over, except they're not, as Peter (Josh Hutcherson), Katniss Everdeen's true love, who survived the first Hunger and was turned to the dark side in the second, announces, as the rebel hordes enter the Capital, "The 76th Hunger Games have begun." What he means is that President Snow (Donald Sutherland), the evil manipulative dictator, has booby trapped the streets, just like he did in the woods for Hungers 1&2.

Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is the poster girl for the revolution, the sexiest archer since Dick Tell, whose sole purpose is to assassinate Snow ("He needs to see my eyes when I kill him"). She has been assigned to a PR platoon that shoots propaganda news flashes. The crew are her friends (mostly) and the traditional question is aired once more: who wins and who dies?

The plot stutters into absurdity. Syrian references are everywhere - rebels from separate districts fighting each other, buildings in ruins, mini barrel bombs blowing up children.

"Sometimes killing isn't personal," Katniss' ex-boyfriend says. Really? Explain that to relatives of those murdered in Paris.

"If we die let it be for a cause, not a spectacle." Is this part of ISIL's rule by fear? No, because they want it both ways, the cause and the spectacle.

These rebels, led by Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), are neither religiously motivated nor intent upon barbarism. As Peter says, "Our lives were never ours; they belong to Snow." They are fighting for the right to be free. Where have you heard that before? Libya? Egypt?

The battle takes forever. Other than a flash flood of black oil and creatures from The Descent, thrill levels are low and the ending feels rushed, making little sense, but, by that time, who cares?

No one acts. In this match between special effects and special performances, there is no contest: Effects 5 Performances 0.

It seems incredible that Lawrence won an Oscar (Silver Linings Playbook). As Katniss, she phones it in.