Jennifer Lawrence is back as archer and freedom fighter Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1." Here are a few more sci-fi female action heroines (with some fantasy thrown in).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Badass women of sci-fi

 

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(CNN) -- Are the odds still ever in our favor?

'Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1" has hit theaters, and critics seem divided on whether it's a strong offering.

Politics is a star, as much as Jennifer Lawrence's rebel Katniss Everdeen, in the latest installment of the popular franchise. Adapted from the the third novel in the young adult series by Suzanne Collins, the film finds Katniss stepping firmly into her role as leader in the fight against the authoritarian-totalitarian regime of Panem.

Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal notes the controversy that has surrounded the decision to make two movies out of the third book and writes "but this latest film, which Francis Lawrence directed from a screenplay by Peter Craig and Danny Strong, proves to be much more than scene-setting."

"It's about the power of political symbols, and the danger of becoming one -- about Katniss staying true to herself, and to those she loves, while her handlers seek to reshape her into some sort of sci-fi Joan of Arc," he writes.

The Wrap's Alonso Duralde finds that the new film "calls to mind smart political comedies like 'Wag the Dog' and 'Tanner '88.' "

"Returning director Francis Lawrence finds interesting visual moments, even in the underground bunker," Duralde writes. "At one point, Katniss looks down on rows and rows of rebels climbing down, down, down a metallic triangular staircase, and it's like something out of "Metropolis." That's a pretty bold quotation to make for a film that's also about a proletariat revolution, but even if "Mockingjay" isn't on the level of that silent classic, it's not an altogether inappropriate reference point."

But Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter pins Part 1 as "an overgrown and bloated trailer for a film yet to come."

"Unfortunately, 'Mockingjay - Part 1' has all the personality of an industrial film," he says. "There's not a drop of insolence, insubordination or insurrection running through its veins; it feels like a manufactured product through and through, ironic and sad given its revolutionary theme."

Slate's movie critic, Dana Stevens, writes of the parallel themes of teen romance and revolution in the film. Katniss is torn between feelings for Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), who is now in the custody of the Capitol, and fellow freedom fighter Gale (Liam Hemsworth).

"War and teenage angst make for uncomfortable narrative bedfellows, but at least the political violence that rips through the fictional country of Panem is neither glossed over nor trivialized," Stevens writes, noting the film's PG-13 rating for scenes that include executions and mass slaughter. "And Jennifer Lawrence is actress enough to invest even Katniss' comparatively low-stakes struggle with some dramatic heft."

Indeed, it appears that the acting may be part of the saving grace for the film according to some. Claudia Puig of USA Today praises Lawrence and her fellow cast members, including Julianne Moore and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

"Jennifer Lawrence reveals greater depth and emotional layers as rebel leader Katniss and is bolstered by powerhouse supporting performances," Puig writes. "New to the dystopian franchise, Julianne Moore plays District 13 President Alma Coin with just the right blend of stern authority and humanity. Her right-hand man is the once-sinister, now-wearied Plutarch Heavensbee, played perfectly by Philip Seymour Hoffman."

Do you plan on seeing the film? Sound off in the comments below.