The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1: Francis Lawrence’s film is heavy on set-up and light on payoff, a disappointing combination. The story continues to expand the world and its mythology, but what’s new is not particularly interesting (and it moves into a more generic dystopic setting); the main issue, however, is that there simply isn’t enough at stake for the main characters (in other words, the film is too light on action). Visually, it’s drab and unappealing. The veteran cast already knows how to play their characters, and the newcomers (Julianne Moore in particular) are a solid group.

Read also: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games