STACK Mar #137

40 / 99

Spoilers inevitably follow, although
we’ll try and keep things vague.
Season Five of the fabulous
fantasy saga blends events
from books four and five of
A Song of Ice and Fire, finally
bringing readers and viewers
into synch. Given George isn’t
likely to complete book six
for another year or more (like
Winter, it’s still coming), the show is now playing its
own game. Moreover, rather than introduce the myriad
new characters featured in A Dance with Dragons,
showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss use the
players they already have, and while this might upset
book purists, it mostly works well and facilitates some
interesting plot intersections. In a nutshell, Stannis takes
charge at the Wall, where Jon Snow has been promoted
to Commander of the Night’s Watch; Arya arrives in
Braavos to train as a faceless assassin; poor Sansa
becomes betrothed to the sadistic Ramsay Bolton; the
Sons of the Harpy threaten Daenerys’ hold on Meereen;
and Cersei’s schemes spectacularly backfire. There’s also
a (disappointing) trip to Dorne, a royal wedding without
a slaughter (yes, really!), a show-stopping assault by the
White Walkers on Hardhome, and a cliffhanger finale that
leaves blood on snow. SH • See page 30
A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons.
GAME OF THRONES: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON
The Hunger Games ’ grand finale
brings the rebellion against the
tyrannical President Snow to his
doorstep, and this YA saga to an
immensely satisfying conclusion.
Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and
her District 13 allies attempt
to infiltrate the Capitol to
assassinate the despot, allowing
the final chapter to pay tribute
to its roots – the gamemakers
have transformed the Capitol
into a huge Hunger Games arena
full of lethal booby traps, including a tsunami of black
oil and a horde of savage albino sewer mutants. Like
its youthful protagonists, The Hunger Games series
has matured with each installment, and the final film
is the most adult of them all. There’s no flinching
from the horrors of war here; the fight for freedom
and democracy for all of Panem results in massive
casualties on both sides, with many supporting
characters shockingly despatched with a Game of
Thrones-like ruthlessness. For those who haven’t
read the novel, be prepared for some nasty surprises.
And now you can watch both parts back-to-back for
maximum impact. SH
This time it’s war.
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2
DVD & BD
Episode Commentaries
New Characters and Locations
The Real History of Game of
Thrones: Part 1 & 2
Anatomy of an Episode:
Mother’s Mercy
A Day in the Life
Deleted Scenes
JB HI-FI EXCLUSIVE
Limited Edition DVD & Blu-ray
With Alternative Art & Additional
Special Features:
- The Final Step Featurette
- The Massacre at Hardhome
Featurette
- The Visual Effects of Season 5
Featurette
Vikings: Season 1–3
EXTRAS
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date: 16/03/16
Format:
The Divergent Series
EXTRAS
FURTHER VIEWING
Release Date: 22/03/16
Format:
TOP
HITS
visit DVD&BD REVIEWS
40 MARCH 2016
DVD&BD
This is the only film in The
Hunger Games series to be
released in 3D.
DID YOU KNOW...
TOP
HITS
The Iron Throne is never shown
this season.
DID YOU KNOW...
DVD & BD
Audio Commentary with
Director Francis Lawrence and
Producer Nina Jacobson
The Hunger Games: A
Photographic Journey
Cinna’s Sketchbook: Secrets of
the Mockingjay Armor
Panem on Display: The Hunger
Games –The Exhibition
BD ONLY
Pawns No More: Making The
Hunger Games: Mockingjay
Part 2 - 8-Part Documentary
JB HI-FI EXCLUSIVE
3D Blu-ray Edition