Finally! It feels like forever since the first film of the series, The Hunger Games, was released (although I am told that it was only released in March 2012…I don’t believe you, IMDB) and fans of both book and movie have been faithfully awaiting The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Let’s get you all caught up.
Catching Fire begins with our beloved heroine back in District 12, doing what she does best – hunting for food. The colors and mood in District 12 are the same as before – lots of gray tones and dusty streets. The only real difference for Kat (Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook, The Hunger Games) is that she and her family now live in “Victor’s Village” – a block of much nicer houses, though the outside is still pretty dreary and rundown. Katniss and fellow victor Peeta (Josh Hutcherson – The Hunger Games, Journey to the Center of the Earth) are preparing for the victory tour, where they will go to all districts to pay tribute to the fallen. Gale (Liam Hemsworth – Paranoia, The Hunger Games) is his normal brooding, handsome self and still seems pretty jealous of his Katnip’s “faux” love with Peeta. She insists again that it was all for the cameras, that she did what she had to in order to live, but it’s kind of hard to fake that kind of affection and the love triangle tension continues to grow.
During the tour, Kat and Peeta, both clearly traumatized and heartbroken at what they feel is a slap in the face to other districts, attempt to make up for it in District 11 by offering part of their winnings to the families of Thresh and sweet Rue, prompting a small rebellion there that only grows more obvious as the film progresses. During the tour, evil incarnate President Snow (Donald Sutherland – Pride and Prejudice, The Hunger Games) unexpectedly announces that for this year’s Quarter Quell (it’s the 75th annual Hunger Games), the tributes will be chosen from the remaining pool of victors – one boy and one girl. Kat is automatically in, being the only female from her District who ever won, but the male spot is between Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson – Zombieland, The Hunger Games) and Peeta. You all know how this story plays out already.
Our victors are introduced to their enemies in the ring – all killers, all lethal in their own way…or they were, once. Mags, from District 4, is an old, decrepit victor who volunteered as tribute against a younger female victor and she is paired with the dreamy Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin – Snow White and the Huntsman), quite the charming killer himself. Other victors include the brilliant Beetee and Wiress from District 3; surly Johanna Mason (Jena Malone – Sucker Punch, Donnie Darko) from Disctrict 7; brother and sister team Gloss and Cashmere from District 1; and the straight creepy Enobaria and Brutus from District 2 (remember that historically, Districts 1 and 2 had the most victors and are generally vicious and merciless).
Strange things are happening in the Capitol as Kat and Peeta prepare to enter the arena once more. There is a new Head Game Maker, Putarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman – Moneyball, Capote), who seems intent on convincing President Snow to keep Kat alive until the right moment – but why? Haymitch is making quiet allies for our victors and there are those (like Cinna) who are openly mocking the Capitol at this point. It all makes for some great tension building and certainly preps us for the third and fourth films! Plus, I can’t even tell you how much I love Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci in their roles of the flashy (understatement!) Effie Trinket and Caesar Flickerman. They effortlessly steal every scene and costume designer Trish Summerville should be winning all the awards (WIN ALL THE AWARDS!) for these looks.
This is one of my favorite books series – in my top five, for sure – and this book was my favorite of the Hunger Games trilogy. While I loved the characters and I think the actors did a beautiful job portraying them, I felt unsatisfied. This was about two and a half hours long and I wanted MORE. I think I would have been happier had this book been broken into two films, like the last book will be. There is so much that happens at this point in the series, with the rebellion starting and all these key players being introduced. We should have had more time to get to know them, to become invested in their outcomes. The arena in this Quarter Quell is SO amazing and it was beautiful and dark and scary in the film, but it just seemed to fly by. In the first film, it seemed like the Games went on for several days but in here, I felt like it was over in just a couple. And these are former victors! They’re trained killers! It shouldn’t be this simple, is what I’m saying. I wanted more of Finnick and Johanna, Wiress and Beetee; more of the Head Game Maker; more of what was going on outside the arena. Everything went so fast, and was so chopped up that I wonder if those who’ve never read the series will now be running to buy it to figure out what the hell just happened (which I’m all for – yay reading!).
My one very specific gripe was this – in the locket that Peeta gave Katniss…you couldn’t have photos of the people in there that weren’t popular MOVIE STILLS? Seriously?? Put a little effort into it!
So…was I as happy with this film as I was with the first, with SO much happening and being passed over? Not really. But I still loved it because I love what Suzanne Collins created and I love watching it come to life with brilliant actors.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is in theaters today – may the odds be ever in your favor!
ComicsOnline gives The Hunger Games: Catching Fire 4 out of 5 lightning trees.
Keep coming back to ComicsOnline for more movie reviews and everything geek pop culture!
