The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1
After two solid rounds of THE HUNGER GAMES, MOCKINGJAY – PART 1 barely advances the plot, while relegating Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence)–who up until now has been the epitome of an active female protagonist–to labored reaction shots. Fleshing out this dystopian future of the downtrodden rebelling against a callous capital calls for more than an unexceptional folk song, meant to become a rousing anthem but instead barely stirring interest. Whether the failures here lie with the young adult novel the film is adapted from, or with the crassly commercial decision to split this final book into two movies, the flabby result is the same: This is what a shapeless pantomime looks like. –YSM