The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Jena Malone

Directed by Francis Lawrence

The Story:
One year after surviving the Hunger Games, Katness (Jennifer Lawrence) shows signs of PTSD, as well as a mild depression.  She's forced to go on tour with Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and pretend that they're a happy couple because President Snow (Donald Sutherland) threatened Katness that he'll go after her family if she didn't, because an uprising has begun after their Hunger Games win.

After their tour, the rebellion has persisted, and Snow desires to see Katness dead.  To do this in a way to not make her a martyr, he changes the rules of the Hunger Games.  Since it's the 75th anniversary and the third Quarter Quell, he announces that the tributes from each District would be previous Hunger Games participants, guaranteeing Katness going back in since she's the only female winner from District 12.  Peeta then volunteers to go in with her.

As the Hunger Games begin, it becomes apparent that Snow desires Katness' death by unleashing more natural threats instead of the tributes trying to kill one another.  Katness and Peeta align with a group of other tributes and discover that there's much more to these games than ever before - both to help and hurt them.

The Synopsis:
Usually when there's a second movie in a series, it's not as good as the original or the final.  There's no beginning, and there's no end.  I feared that was what would've happened with "Catching Fire," but I found it incredibly enjoyable, and even preferred it to the original.

While the original was spectacular in itself, "Catching Fire" took it to the next level.  The acting was even better than the original, especially Jennifer Lawrence's showing as a hero for the people, yet also extremely flawed and fearful.  She wants to protect her family, and the only way to do that is fall under Snow's direction.  At first she obliges out of fear, but she soon finds the confidence in herself to eliminate the fear and become the hero she's meant to be. 

At the heart of the "Hunger Games" series is the hero's journey, which is a pattern of narrative invented by Joseph Campbell.  I will fully go into this at the end of the "Hunger Games" series, but if you look it up, you'll notice the distinct pattern.

Back to the film.  As with the original, there's an amazing supporting cast that completes the film.  Elizabeth Banks gets to show more than just her gaudy outfits as the ever-flamboyant Effie.  Lenny Kravitz still serves as Katness' biggest fan.  Woody Harrelson gets a meatier role as their former mentor, as does Liam Hemsworth's Gale, Katness' real love interest.  Donald Sutherland seethes evil as the malicious President Snow, and Josh Hutcherson...well...is around.  For someone so important to Katness, he sure seems rather droll.

New to the cast is the ever-capable (and sorely missed) Philip Seymour Hoffman as the new master of games, Sam Claflin as an arrogant yet helpful tribute, Jena Malone as a delicious sociopath, and Jeffrey Wright as one of the more intellectual tributes.  All give great performances, and all appear to really love what they're doing, which shows on screen.

With the first "Hunger Games," there was one particular death that really affected me (as well as Katness).  In "Catching Fire," there are three deaths that really moved me in the same manner, all of whom were really supporting characters, but they were so well created and acted that you really felt for them. 

In the end, "Catching Fire" leaves the viewers with a great cliffhanger that makes me really happy that I didn't see the film when it first came out, because I would literally be dying a whole year before the next one came out.  The story is compelling and filled with action, drama, heart, and thrills.  A top notch second installment to a great film adaptation.

The Summary:
Improving on the original in almost every way, "Catching Fire" is that rare second film that far exceeds the original.

The Score: A+