Catching Fire, A Review

Rating: 9/10 (22 November 2013)

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Catching Fire, is the long awaited second part of the Hunger Games Saga. After the resounding success of the first movie, fans were hopeful that the second would be just as captivating. Put simply, it was. Even after a change in Directors. (Directed now by Francis Lawrence) The second movie starts out strong. The seeds of revolution have started to take root, and the hostility towards the Capitol is growing visibly. The acting is really well done. Instead of the somewhat stoic portrayal of characters in the first movie, I felt that this one more accurately depicted the emotions of the characters as they were meant to be. Emotional train wrecks. Particularly Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence). The overall plot keeps very close to the book, much more than the first, and with the omission of only a few note-able scenes, I feel fans will appreciate the Directors attention to detail. The movie does feel a bit long at times.(Runs, just over 2 hours) This isn't really a reflection on the movie so much as it is the accurate portrayal of the book. More time is spent in the arena, and the audience feels it. Acting is spot on. Johanna Mason and Finnick Odair (played by Jena Malone and Sam Claflin respectively) are fantastically depicted. The other champions are cast expertly as well and I find it hard to criticize anything in this area. Camera angles and movements are much improved over the first, and observant movie goers will notice the screen get larger when you first enter the arena. The sets look stunning, and the Arena is a masterpiece. Perhaps my one big concern is that, without prior knowledge of the story, without reading the books, the movie COULD be hard to keep track of or interested in. It's simply the nature of the plot, and reading the books is strongly recommended. This movie should please audiences worldwide.
Overall: Strong movie, excellent acting. Held back only by the complex plot. 8.5/10
(Acting: 10/10) (Directing: 9/10) (Plot: 9/10) (CGI Effects: 8.5/10) (Stand Alone without book: 8/10) (Ease of viewing, without plot knowledge: 7.5/10 (Variable per viewer))