All the 'Hunger Games' movies, ranked by critics

Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

Critics were pleased with casting for "The Hunger Games" prequel, praising the array of performances by Tom Blyth, Viola Davis, Jason Schwartzman, and Rachel Zegler, whom the Washington Post described as the movie's "showstopper."

However, critics also described the movie as "bloated" and largely agreed that it couldn't reach the heights of its predecessors. Business Insider's own Kirsten Acuna criticized "The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" as "unnecessary" and "overstuffed."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

The final book in Collins' original trilogy, "Mockingjay," was split into two movies. Both received predominantly positive reviews, with "Part 2" applauded for giving Katniss a satisfying resolution.

"There are some complex ideas about power and corruption at play, and it's good to see this final installment refusing to sell out either its role model heroine or its darkly dystopian sociopolitical themes," Mark Kermode wrote for The Observer.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%

"Mockingjay: Part 1" was praised as a tense, well-acted setup for the final installment, though some critics said it felt like a placeholder that lacked excitement.

Mostly, it was Lionsgate that received criticism for splitting the book in half, leaving "Part 1" without a proper climax.

"There was no good reason to turn Suzanne Collins' 'Mockingjay' into two films," Emily St. James wrote for Vox. "Creatively, that's made 'Mockingjay: Part 1' a bit of a lumpy, misshapen thing, even if it has its charms."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

"The Hunger Games," the only film in the series directed by Gary Ross, was the one that started it all.

Critics were pleasantly surprised by the movie's depth and subversive resonance. In particular, Jennifer Lawrence was hailed for her "luminous" portrayal of Katniss.

"She has a great movie face, puffy-eyed yet open, and able to catch the fleeting currents of toughness and vulnerability required for a modern action heroine," Anthony Quinn wrote for The Independent.

The movie's detractors, however, criticized Ross for shaky camerawork, and for pulling his punches — polishing the source material's extreme cruelty. Several called for the film to be "bolder and nastier."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

"Catching Fire" is the crown jewel of the franchise.

The second movie in the series saw Francis Lawrence take over as director, and critics praised him for translating Collins' brutal sequel to the screen — especially the bloodthirsty twist for the 75th annual Hunger Games, which turns Katniss into a full-blown revolutionary.

"Mr. Lawrence gives 'Catching Fire' a tougher, less sentimental feel this time around — there appears to be more kissing but less mooning about — that fits the material and Ms. Lawrence's gift for projecting unaffected indomitableness," Manohla Dargis wrote for the New York Times.

"Everything that felt clumsy in 'The Hunger Games' has been improved upon here," Ian Buckwalter agreed in a review for NPR. "That's most apparent in the clarity of the action, but it also extends to how efficiently the film establishes so many new ensemble members."

Indeed, in addition to Lawrence, new additions to the cast received high marks for their nuanced performances, including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone, and Sam Claflin.