Wary of a split film?

Rating: 7/10 (21 November 2014)

"Nothing happens!!!"
"2-Hour Exposition!!!"
"SET-UP!!!"
If you're hesitant to see Mockingjay because of these claims, understand that they're both reasonable and misleading. Misleading because, if you're not expecting an action-fest, the plot is actually full. There's nothing wrong with the story itself, and the "poor pacing" claim is false. Although there are fewer developments here than there are in Catching Fire, they all definitely require the length of time it took them to develop. There are many scenes in this film that are similar to scenes in other good films of the same genre, and most of them elapse the same amount of time.
But the claims of uneventfulness are reasonable because its execution is lacking. The movie is actually composed of equal parts subtext, exposition, and action. Meaning that the screenplay routinely cycles a scene that portrays a strong conflict, followed by characters verbally exploring that conflict, and concluding that conflict by taking an action. If the movie was perfect, these parts would have equal weight, because, since the story is less action- oriented than the previous films, the subtext and exposition are more important to creating the story. Unfortunately, the action is shot much better than the exposition is, and the exposition is shot so similarly to the subtext that they swallow one another up.
As a small example, in one scene, Katniss attempts to engage in conversation with a character only to learn that he is a mute. You understand why he is a mute immediately, and its significant, and the story immediately becomes weightier and more intense because of this revelation, but the film treats the revelation as though nothing happened. Where other films would have a change in music or lighting or tone or direction to highlight significance, Mockingjay simply continues. Then, a little while later, dialogue is spoken that elaborates on this revelation. The line is delivered well, but because the audience has already picked up on the meaning, the mood that should have been created by this line is dulled.
There are a disappointingly large number of sequences like this: a small, signicant development happens, in plot, or character, or overall implication, and it should change the audience's understanding and appreciation for the story - but the film treats it as though everything is progressing, as though it's just another step toward something big happening in an action sequence. The best way to fix this would have been to adapt a more Gary Ross- esque direction style to the non-action scenes - give them a different look, give them their own mood, and leave them room to breathe. Overall, Mockingjay is still a good film, and a very good story. But unfortunately, many of the things that make the story good are buried.