I really do love watching these movies. I find them exciting and having not read the books myself, I genuinely cannot wait to see what happens next. It probably has a lot to do with Jennifer Lawrence's enigmatic portrayal of Katniss Everdeen. She's an extremely talented actor and her take on the character is an interesting mix of endearing yet distant. By the time this story begins she is suffering from PTSD, waking from nightmares, and feeling hopeless much of the time. In true hero-story fashion she does find the courage and energy to stand up for what she believes in, and takes the audience along with her.

The film features some great action, suspense, and some well-placed levity, just as the prior two, but some scenes fall flat or feel redundant. Many people have suggested that the final story did not need to be split into two films, but I am happy to see it as two. I'll take as much of this universe as I can get. With the author producing and adapting the story for the film I get the feeling she's including what she thinks is important. It doesn't just feel like a studio cash-grab to me, just pure popcorn entertainment. Looking forward to the conclusion next year.

3.5 Stars (out of 5)