Jennifer Lawrence makes this work

Rating: 8/10 (20 November 2014)

When the producers decided to break Mockingjay into two films, we were pretty much fixed on a course where Part One was going to be anti-climactic compared to the rest of the series. So, no, it's not quite as good as Catching Fire (and thus, nowhere near the level of The Hunger Games). But still, this edition does a good job expanding the Penam universe, and developing the story of our heroine Katniss.
Katniss works so well because she's authentic, free of the practiced cynicism that permeates President Snow and even the leaders of the rebellion. A key moment is when Haymitch Abernathy explains this fact to them. And it's really hard to imagine any young actress pulling this off as well as Jennifer Lawrence, who exudes authenticity herself.
So Mockingjay has the emotional pull, it has a solid story line, it has a well-constructed dystopian world, and it has a solid cast with an exceptionally talented lead. It lacks only a satisfying conclusion, but as Part One, that can hardly be a surprise.