Movie Review: "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (Francis Lawrence, 2013)

BACK IN THE ARENA: “CATCHING FIRE” IS A ROAD TO REVOLUTION
by Maxwell Meyers

Above: Jennifer Lawrence and Lenny Kravitz in a scene from the film

If you have a pulse and manage to leave your house, then you are aware of the “Twilight”-esque aura that surrounds a little movie series called “The Hunger Games,” which is based Suzanne Collins’ book of the same name.  Now, we are at the convergence of months of promotions and it’s time to step back into the world of Panem, in “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.” 

“Catching Fire” is the sequel to the wildly popular first “Hunger Games” film and stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth, and was directed by Francis Lawrence.  I am a big fan of the first film as well and was more than eager to step back into the arena.  I decided the best way to do it was to go big, and the only to do that was to go as big as possible.  It was time for me to see my first IMAX film.

“Catching Fire” picks up shortly after the first movie ends, with our two heroes, Katniss and Peeta, back in District 12 preparing to go out on the victory tour to “celebrate” the prior Hunger Games.  They are also putting on the act of true love that they presented in the first film, which proves to be harder for one more than the other.  Meanwhile, rumblings of an uprising become stronger with every day and whether she likes it or not, Katniss is becoming a beacon for revolution—a beacon that president Snow (who is played expertly by Donald Sutherland) must extinguish.  Enter the Quarter Quell, which happens every 25 years and reaps the existing victors including our heroes, placing them back in the arena fighting for their lives once more.

As a director, Mr. Lawrence shoulders the similarly difficult task of taking the baton from Gary Ross, who departed the project shortly before filming began for “Catching Fire”— a shakeup that one would never have guessed had occurred given the wonderful product produced.  Opening up the world that Mr. Ross established before, Mr. Lawrence gives you a better feel for District 12 while also leaving some things exactly the same, like the town square and the arena monitoring room.  In addition, he also gives you a greater idea of how poor and destitute some of these other districts in comparison to the Capitol.  My fiancé, who has read all the books, noted how she was displeased with the first film for not making the Capitol seem sinister enough and edging to the brink of being cool.  By contrast, “Catching Fire” does a much better job just showing you how wastefully extravagant the Capitol can be.  Plus, the Capitol features Mr. Sutherland’s standout performance.  Granted, he was given a larger role than in the last film, but he does such an amazing job of sending chills down your spine with a look.  He gets this look of such displeasure that I love the moment he realizes that Katniss’ reach has spread to his granddaughter, who is wearing her hair the same way.

I made it a point to see this film in IMAX for two very specific reasons: one, I had never seen an IMAX film and two, the film extends the screen to full IMAX size in the middle of the film.  The film extends to full size right as Katniss comes up a tube and out on to the arena a little over halfway through the movie.  The difference in size between the two wasn’t too great for me too notice a tremendous difference, but my eyes did do a slight readjust as it was happening (which was fun to experience) and the picture clarity was stupendous.

Overall, “Catching Fire” is a great film and a terrific follow-up to an already good movie and the complaints I have (which cover a strange love triangle and a lack of action) are few and far between.  What’s more, the acting is wonderful on all fronts and even Ms. Banks’ performance as Effie Trinket is just spot on—overbearing enough to let you know who she is (without driving you nuts), but with a moment of tenderness.  In fact, the movie has tender moments throughout and I’ll admit I almost shed a tear or two.

On the whole I would give this movie a B- and I think if you are a fan of the first film, you should get out and see the new one in theaters.  If you were only OK with the first one, “Catching Fire” doesn’t have the over the top visuals of, say, “Pacific Rim” that necessitate seeing it on the big screen.  But I would gladly see this movie again, and can’t wait to escape to this future in another year.