Unsatisfying cliffhanger

Rating: 5/10 (31 October 2016)

It's finally here! The last chapter to the popular Hunger Games movie series that broke literary sales records, made Jennifer Lawrence's career and influenced young girls everywhere to take up archery is finally coming to a close... well sort of. This is only part 1 of the final chapter. In it's infinite wisdom, Lionsgate films has decided to take the Harry Potter route in finishing off the Hunger Games series. What can I say about this movie that hasn't already been said about the second to last Harry Potter movie? Some may call this film a necessary bridge to the final chapter of the series, others may call it a gradual build to something far grander in scale than what we've seen before in other Hunger Games films. Some may say that but the fact of the matter is, this movie is just plain old fashioned filler. Trust me, I've read the books and the only thing you're seeing in this film is pure filler. I don't think I'm giving anything away by telling you that The third book of the Hunger Games saga depicts the events of a massive war between the capital and the other districts but it's not ALL just a battle, there are quite a few pieces of plot that need to occur leading up to the epic spectacle of war, things that the makers of the Hunger Games film series would rather just get out of the way than have them share the spotlight with what is sure to be the special effects event of fall 2015.
I could go on and tell you about everything else in the film as far as the cast and the story and the special effects but honestly, nothing has changed since the last film. Everyone does a good job and the film ends up where it needs to be but the overarching feeling behind it all is that it all of it adds up to being just a bunch of Hollywood BS stretching out projects for no reason. There's no real reason for this movie to exist, everything that happens here could have been explained in the first 20-30 minutes for the most part, Lionsgate just decided that they wanted to line their coffers with a little more coin before this franchise ends. Eh, who can blame them. Money is money after all. Unfortunately it doesn't add up to a very entertaining ride for everyone else in the theater.
All in all, if you're a fan of The Hunger Games films, you're seeing this for only one reason, to get to part 4 where the real action is. If you're just a casual fan, I'd say read the back of the DVD case or the wiki synopsis and hell, just watch the trailer and prepare yourself for part 4 because that's what you should be paying to see, not this. Perhaps I'll have a different opinion of the series once part 2 of Mocking Jay comes out, but as it stands right now on it's own, Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 gets a 2.5...out of 5