The latest and weakest of the enjoyable Hunger Games series starts strong, but gives way to a slack second half bereft of the climactic action that culminated in the previous films. Clearly, this is the set up to Part 2's zinger of a punchline, which will consist of all-out war between Katniss Everdeen's rebelling districts and Donald Sutherland's iron-fisted Capital.

At this point, Jennifer Lawrence can't really miss, but the entire movie rests on her shoulders. Rebel leader Julianne Moore has little to do but delegate from a bunker, and even an intense bombing raid on said location is not shown on screen. All we see are shaky interior shots of the facility, and then a bunch of destruction outside the morning after. Seriously?

I'll of course see the final installment in November, but with this dull, if nice-looking lead-in, the filmmakers have sacrificed momentum for anticipation.

Final Grade: B- | 81/100 | ★★½