Good film, okay score...

Rating: 8/10 (15 March 2014)

I just watched the film tonight, and overall, I liked it. Having not read the books or really been in the world of Panem for about a year, it was nice to return there in this film. I thought overall the acting was spectacular, improving upon the first film. The special effects were also fantastic; I particularly enjoyed the ending sequence with the burning arena and falling objects as Katniss is carried up to safety. Again, it's been a while since I read the books, but I felt like they ended it at a good spot that can be continued on for the third (and they're splitting it into two parts, just like everything else!) film.
However, I feel that while all these elements were good, I want to focus on the music a little bit, as I have done in some other reviews. James Newton Howard isn't a composer I'm entirely familiar with, having only heard his scores for The Hunger Games (I remember really enjoying his score for the first film, as that was when I was starting to get into the violin and music) and his collaborations for The Dark Knight trilogy. In Catching Fire, Howard reuses the same majestic motif for the Quarter Quell music, which is nice, but it wouldn't hurt to hear something new... Overall, there wasn't as much music in this film as there is in others, but there were definitely moments. The orchestra follows Katniss's emotions during various parts of the film. I liked the moment after Katniss's speech to District 11, with the lush strings and brass, which was immediately taken over by pounding timpani as the Peacemakers started to intervene. There was a burning sense of loss in the music when Katniss was separated from Prim without so much as a goodbye, off on her way to the 75th Hunger Games, and this music was also slow and powerful in the brass. However, in my opinion, there was too little music, and what was there was just okay. It was powerful, but not quite as amazing as some of the other composers I've listened to.
However, I really did enjoy the film. Perhaps the Mockingjay films will offer more for the musical score...