In-Depth Review: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

The Hunger Games: Catching fire is emotional epic, intense,  near flawlessly acted and  a rarity in modern cinema. It rises above the norm and becomes something truly amazing to behold.

(this review does contain spoilers but not to many if you already read the book) 

The Hunger Games are over, Katniss Everdeen, has survived, she never had to worry about provider for her family again. She now lives in lavish house in the “Victor Village” but the torment of the capital is far from over, her and Peeta are to be sent on the victor tour, visiting all twelve distincts she has to putting on the act of still being in love with Peeta, and once again it could mean life or death, and on tour sighs begin apparent of revolution,  things don’t go how president snow plans and he is angry thus announcing that the 75th Hunger Games, the third quarter quill, drawl reapings only from existing victors. Let the games begins

Once in a while there is a film that means something, is something more then just a good time away from reality ,that makes you think, causes you to feel, enrages you, breaks your heart, and takes you away. The Hunger Games: Catching fire is one of those rare films. 

I thought it would be a really good film, because the book is so fantastic and one of my all time favorites, but I wasn’t sure it would be This good. The film is extremely character driven and virtually every major character from the first film has a character arch. Acted by a stellar cast nearly on par with “The Lord of the Rings” yes they’re that good. Jennifer Lawrence shines in this film and really pushes her limitless as an actress she was great in hunger games. but she really shows her growth here, she is raw and gritty and becomes Katniss everdeen,  just showing little things by expressions, you don’t have her voice in your head like the book, but Lawrence manages to let you know what she’s thinking. 

Josh Hutcherson really has grown in this film as well, showing the steady caring character of Peeta Mellark, and yet showing is take charged persona as well. 

Now for there are two new addictions who pretty much steal the last hour of the film.

Sam Claflin, playing Distinct 4’s poster boy. Finnick Odair. I had my doubts about him, only seeing him in a couple films (Snow white and the Huntsmen, and Pirates 4), and while I liked him so far. I wasn’t sure he had what it takes to pull off one of my most favorite fictional characters ever created. Well he does. He had me at “Sugar Cube” and just displaying this character who seems vain and selfish at first. But end’s up being very misunderstood So yes he is my favorite character in the film…

But there there’s this Character Called Johanna Mason, played to a T. by Jena Malone, she just radiates her character. She’s angry she’s fed up and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Bravo Jena, Bravo.

Or and Effie’s Character, you get to see her go from this unbelievably gullible (lovably, but gullible) character. to slowly seeing the error of the capital’s ways and it’s heart breaking. Elizabeth Banks, well done as always.

Donald Sutherland as President Snow is terrifying, hateful and  you just want to shoot in arrow in his scull. 

One thing I thought this film captured in from the book almost perfectly was it’s pace. Which was rollercoaster up and  down and fast fast fast.. It displayed this near- flawlessly in the film. And it does not feel like an almost 2 ½ hour film. It’s a tense film. “Inception” comes to mind.

The visuals were a major step up thanks to the large increase of the budget it, finally the flames look real and they are awesome! The mutations look really real, in fact I’m not even sure they’re CGI.. The Costumes are a notch up which was already pretty good.  And no more shaky cam! (although this scene in a scene near the beginning  with Snow talking to Katniss the camera does seem to be bobbing up and down a bit and it’s actually quite annoying. Thankfully it’s gone after that).  One thing I loved about the book and the movie was how they are working to together to defy the capital just this little group in the area and it’s super cute to me. 

I was somewhat disappointed with the score, one of the weakness of the first one I thought, there’s just not really a “it” theme for this movie, while the movie is strong enough on it’s own and it does have some good themes throughout, I just feel it could have been a bit more epic. It’s not bad, just not on par with the rest of the movie in my opinion, but a very minor issue.

If you thinking it will be a carbon copy of the book your going to be a little disappointed cause there are things they left out, most not to major, but there was one I was hoping to see and didn’t but overall this is one of the truest book to movie adoptions I’ve ever seen, so please don’t nit-pick it to death, just enjoy it 

Some of my favorite scene. (Spoilers) Are the scene on victor tour in distinct 11, Gale’s flogging. Man I hated that peace keeper. The elevator scene :P  oh and the poison gas, I just loved how the blisters looked when I get it on blu-ray I’ll hate to pause that scene. The part where they bet Cinna was heart breaking. The baboons where terrifying! Oh and the mockingjay scene! The tributes holding hands in defiance of the capital One thing I can’t emphasize enough Is how good this movie captures emotion, and I’m a sucker for emotion. And the scene in the end when Katniss see’s Finnick the area she has her arrow pointed at him. And he says “Remember who the Real enemy is” and you can see something clicks in her. She grabs the cable made by beetee, waits for the lightning strike oh and the drums this scene is just epic she shoots into the top of the Area and force field goes out. So intense.   

 this movie is a pure gem and a rarity in modern blockbusters. And is worthy of comparison with untouchable films such as “Star Wars” and “lord of the Rings”   sure it has some time to earn it’s place but as of now I’d say ‘The Odds are ever in it’s favor”

10/10