A significant improvement over its predecessor

Rating: 8/10 (14 November 2014)

CATCHING FIRE is a marked improvement over THE HUNGER GAMES, in everything from the script and story, to the visuals and cinematography. The story continues to follow Katniss (and Peeta) as they do a victory tour of Panem. However, things are not as happy as you think might be. Revolution is brewing, and the people in charge want to nip it in the bud. This is solved by having a special Hunger Games for the 75th year. Instead of fresh tributes, they will be reaped from the existing pool of victors. What follows is a fascinating and engaging look at a dystopian society, the battle for survival, etc. This definitely held my interest better than the limpid previous installment. One thing that's immediately noticeable is the change in visual style, and the way they shot the movie. Instead of a lot of hand-held and shaky camera, the shots are better composed, wider and more fluid. This is especially helpful in maintaining a sense of place in the arena. I also liked how they gave more time for character development, even for President Snow. They even manage to give most of the new characters their due on screen as well. Standouts were Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee and Sam Claflin as Finnick O'Dair(?). The only I really don't care for in these movies is the love triangle between Katniss, Gale and Peeta. Twilight already did it, and every movie since has had some variation on it. Overall, this movie is much better than the first one though, and the final two installments will be directed by the same person (Francis Lawrence). They do a better job with the technical aspects, handling of the story and thematic elements and a much better job of building the world of Panem. Even if you didn't like the first one, you should give this a try.