The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Rating: 5/5

When given the best book in a trilogy, it is expected that the best film in the series would follow. With The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, that is most certainly the case.

One year after the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is struggling with coming to grips with the trauma she faced in the arena. With the anniversary approaching, Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) must set out on the victor's tour in order to "celebrate" their tandem win with the other districts. When the two are barely out on the tour, they come to the quick realization that tensions and security in the districts are high, and that President Snow may resort to drastic measures in order to keep things under his control.

Once they have returned to their homes in District 12, Katniss and the rest of the world of Panem are watching President Snow's broadcast concerning the 75th Hunger Games. Much to everyone's shock, Snow (Donald Sutherland) announces that the tributes of this year's games will be pulled from the existing pool of previous victors. Knowing that she is the only female victor in her district, Katniss knows that she is destined to be forced back into the arena.

Years ago, when they announced that they were making a film series based on the Hunger Games books, I was the most excited to see Catching Fire. In my opinion, this particular story is the most compelling and creatively written of the three. The film hold's up to its' innovative source material and proves that it is not just the action in the arena that makes this movie so intriguing and intense; it's the rare quiet moments where the palpable tensions between Katniss and President Snow are being shown, that are equally as crucial as the scenes within the arena, to help give the film its' overall impact .

Katniss is the heroine of the series, and therefore most of the attention falls on Jennifer Lawrence's performance. As with the previous film in the series, her talent as an actress is undeniable, and she provides a powerful base for the movie. With that being said, in this installment into the series, it is Woody Harrelson's work as Haymitch Abernathy and Elizabeth Banks' portrayal of Effie Trinket, that have always stood out to me the most. Though gruff and crude, Haymitch still manages to be oddly likable. Harrelson's role may be small, but it is his dedication to Katniss that makes him one of the more important characters, and Harrelson portrays it perfectly. Banks' role is not much bigger, but in the beginning of the film, she is there for brief moments of comic relief. Banks makes sure to stay true to Effie's quirks, but also shows the audience that she is more than what meets the eye.

As one would expect, these films rely quite heavily on the use of special effects. I would definitely say that Catching Fire improved upon the realism of the effects compared to its predecessor. In this movie, once the tributes arrive in the arena, there are plenty of places in which computerized effects are necessary to portray the unfolding action. I have yet to see any movie where the effects appear so real that you almost forget they aren't, but Catching Fire comes pretty close. There is still that slight hint of computerization to some of its' creations, but overall, they are still very impressive.

Whenever I decide to rewatch the Hunger Games movies, it is always because I want to watch this specific film again. I know I could watch it as a standalone, but I'm a completist, so I have to watch all four in a row. That being said, it shows the remarkable pull that this movie has, if it can be the reason someone decides to not one film, but four.