Overall, entertaining but never feels very satisfying. I’ve never read any of the Hunger Games books, so I had little idea what to expect. I was really looking forward to the film’s Hunger Games and they took an exceptionally long time to get to them. It seemed like a longer wait then the first film. The story was engaging, but the Games were the payoff. Once they arrive, everything felt rushed. Character deaths were quick and barely on screen. All but a handful of the competitors were virtually ignored and only got the spotlight placed on them when their “In memorial” photos were displayed in the arena. The man vs. man aspect was almost completely replaced with the man vs. environment story and everything ended abruptly. No final showdown, just an Empire Strikes Back inspired cliffhanger. The cliffhanger wouldn’t be so bad if the final book in the trilogy wasn’t cut into two films. Now we have another cliffhanger in waiting. The love triangle from the first film is made even more awkward here and I’m not sure who to side with. Jennifer Lawrence brings her strong acting to the role and kept emotionally invested in her character’s plight. Also, the budget allows for some grand shots of the future landscape.
*** out of *****