The final whistle at Royston’s Picture Palace as the Games come to an end for Katniss and crew

Jennifer Lawrence in Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 (Image: Archant)

But in the wake of period dramas Suffragette and Carol, female empowerment is still to the fore in the film screening on Friday and Saturday.

Starting to roll from 7.30pm on each evening is The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, the clumsily-titled conclusion to the hit action franchise based on the teen fiction trilogy penned by Suzanne Collins.

The books have shifted millions of copies around the world and the first two films in the series were big hits, too – which is one reason why those in charge opted for the standard ‘milk it while you can’ tactic of splitting the final slice of the story into two chapters, turning a paper trilogy into a cinema quartet and boosting box office returns in the process.

That led to many grumbles that Mockingjay – Part 1 was too glum and wordy because all the crash and bash comes in the climax.

But that means Part 2 is packed with set-pieces from the opening credits, and you get plenty of intelligent action movie for your money in a running time that comfortably breaks the two hour barrier. Jennifer Lawrence leads a cast of familiar characters including Liam Hensworth, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson and Donald Sutherland, who once more goes enthusiastically over the top as evil President Snow.

Visit www.roystonpicturepalace.org.uk to book tickets.