"The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" has premiered and the verdict is out with many critics already criticizing the first part as being dull and overlong.

This is the latest franchise to split the last book into two films. "Harry Potter" is noted as the first franchise to do so and was followed by "Twilight." Like "Mockingjay," both first installments received mixed reception as they lacked a coherent climax and for the most part were too long. The strategy was been devised by studios to make more money from the franchises, but many backers of the idea have argued that allows more time to develop the final acts of these films.

The good reviews for "Mockingjay" have stated that "As terrific as that first act is and as mostly entertaining as what follows is, Hunger Games: Catching Fire part I is half of a single story and mostly concerned with setting up however the series ends."

Simon Reynolds from Digital Spy also gave the film a positive review, stating, "Mockingjay illuminates the tortured soul of its heroine more clearly than before, and this gives Lawrence the scope to invest Katniss with a haunted anguish to accompany her intense conviction."

The Hollywood Reporter was far from positive. Todd McCarthy wrote, "The first half of the final Hunger Games installment is disappointingly bland and unnecessarily protracted."

Meanwhile, Justin Chang from Variety was mixed about the overall results. He stated "The series' two-part finale gets under way in solid, absorbing if not exactly inspired fashion."

However, for the most part critics raved about Jennifer Lawrence's performance in the movie and said it was her best portrayal to date.

Lionsgate has been promoting the film with a strong marketing campaign and been releasing short teaser trailers to garner anticipation. The movie, which also stars Natalie Dormer, Julianne Moore, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks and Philip Seymour Hoffman, tells the story of Katniss, who must fight against all odds and save a nation moved by her courage, after she shatters the games forever.

The movie is currently on track to become the biggest film of 2014, with many pundits forecasting it to make $153 million on opening weekend. That would make it the second-highest opening for the series. However, forecasters are also predicting it to only make $385 million by the end of its run. That would make it the lowest-grossing flick of the franchise.

Bad reviews may also affect its overall outcome, especially since the first two installments were hailed universally by critics. This year, numerous blockbusters were affected by bad reviews and by an overcrowded marketplace. For example, "Interstellar" had a lot of buzz, but Paramount failed to make $50 million over the film's first weekend and it essentially underperformed.

"Mockingjay" is unlikely to underperform opening weekend because of its fan base. However, if word-of-mouth is low due to reviews, it could affect the overall box office.

Lionsgate is slated to release "Mockingjay Part 1" on Nov. 21, 2014 and Part 2 on Nov. 20, 2015.

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