THE end of this second instalment of The Hunger Games is a real cliffhanger. It’s testimony to what’s happened over the previous two hours-plus that the final scene annoys, but only because I really wanted to know what happens next.

Director Francis Lawrence takes his time in building up the characters and exploiting the tensions within them, both individually and as a group, so the idea of having to wait until the next film’s release to find out what happens next is a disappointment.

Even then, that won’t be the end as the final book is being made as two movies to maximise revenue potential from the franchise, although the producers would protest that it’s for artistic reasons. And my name’s George Clooney.

Lawrence devotes the first hour or so to the emotional stuff before the final hour featuring the 75th annual Hunger Games, in which contestants are pitted against each other and deadly booby traps. Nothing too nasty that will spoil the chances of a 12A certificate. Okay, there’s a whipping scene – Liam Hemsworth’s Gale is on the receiving end – but that’s as bad as it gets.

The episode opens with heroine Katniss (Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence) back in District 12 and secretly snogging Gale, although in public she only has eyes for Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), a romantic ploy that enabled them to emerge victors in the Hunger Games.

Now there’s revolution in the air and President Snow (Donald Sutherland at his most silkily sinister) isn’t fooled by Katniss’s behavior. Don’t lie to me, he snarls before telling her to tow the party line or he’ll kill Gale. To keep the revolting peasants happy he orders special games with Katniss and Peeta competing against past winners in a battle of the champions.

Others putting in return appearances include Woody Harrelson as their mentor Haymitch Abernathy (who thought of these names and how much had they had to drink?) and Elizabeth Banks in a succession of elaborate outfits as their escort Effie Trinket. She’s positively drab compared to Stanley Tucci’s over-the-top-and-far-away TV host Caesar Flickerman, who makes Graham Norton look straight.

Newcomers include Philip Seymour Hoffman’s new games creator Plutrach Heavensbee, whose job is to devise the special anniversary tournament known as the Quarter Quell.

For the ladies and any gentleman so inclined, there’s muscular, bare-chested Sam Claflin as cocky newcomer Finnick Odair, who may or may not be in Katniss’s corner. Actors of the calibre of Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright and Amanda Plummer ensure that even underwritten characters have their moment of glory.

Bring on part three at once.