Padding

Rating: 6/10 (15 March 2015)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1' will not be remembered as the peak of this particular franchise. It's not bad, it just drags a bit...though considerably less than the first half of the final novel in Suzanne Collins' trilogy. If anything it takes the necessary time to deal with the protagonists qualms at becoming the figurehead for revolution, which is so rushed in the prose version. A few good stunts and effects sequences, and some nicely tuned supporting performances from the great Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson, but, as ever, it's all held together by Ms Lawrence. I have yet to see that lass give a bad performance, even in dross like 'The Last House on the Left' remake. The film just about succeeds in remedying the dramatic deficiencies of Collins' storytelling, and making sure all the key pieces are placed appropriately for the endgame is vital...but having to wait for Katniss to cut-loose an' whup Donald Sutherland's wrinkly ol' posterior until November 2015 is annoying.