"Fire is Catching."

Rating: 9/10 (10 December 2013)

"Fire is Catching," and it has certainly become a blazing inferno. As an avid movie lover and specifically a huge fan of the Hunger Games franchise, I was looking forward to the movie ever since the credits on the first installment began to roll. Having read the book, the first film was initially a disappointment, but I began to love it as I stopped the comparisons and understood that movies and books cannot be exactly the same. That being said, "Catching Fire" surpasses the first film in every single way. From the first scene, it is apparent that Francis Lawrence and the screenwriters were going to make an effort to stay with the storyline of the book. Although there were, of course, differences, the script of "Catching Fire" follows the book closely. The acting in the film is near perfect, from Mags' lack of words to the facial expressions of the characters during important scenes. Jennifer Lawrence, who has now easily become one of my favorite actresses, reprises her role as the heroine Katniss Everdeen. Lawrence brings so much emotion to her character that I felt was absent from the first film. Every feeling that Everdeen felt, from rage to sympathy to love, was beautifully crafted and brought to life by Lawrence. From this role alone, Jennifer Lawrence has crafted herself as one of the best actresses of our current generation. Josh Hutcherson also reprises his role with so much more character development than the first film. He gives his character Peeta so much more depth and complexity and made viewers feel sympathy in his battle for Katniss's heart. The other returning actors, who I felt had already given their characters enough development from the first film, also give new depth and emotional strain to their characters, particularly Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrellson, and Elizabeth Banks. The new actors to the franchise were greatly cast, with specific praise to Sam Claflin as Finnick and Jena Malone as Johanna. Claflin and Malone really got a feel of who their characters are and convey them exactly as I had imagined while reading the book. The arena in "Catching Fire" is also much more exciting, with beautiful scenery and CGI effects that fit perfectly with the scenes. The IMAX inclusion of the entire arena sequence was much needed, as it gives a sense of authenticity and beauty as the climactic events unfold. The progressing brutality of the Capitol is also fantastically depicted in the film, which gave the audience a deeper understanding of the rebellion. I must also give credit to Donald Sutherland, who returns as President Snow and gives his character so much more wickedness and evil that was already clearly apparent in the first film. At just shy of two and a half hours, "Catching Fire" flies by. Although there are a lot of repetitive elements from the first film, i.e. chariot ride, interviews, every aspect is necessary to understand the events that lead up to the shocking and unexpected (if you haven't read the book) climax. Overall, "Catching Fire" has been a hit at box offices across the globe, and there is no question as to why. With amazing acting, an exciting story full of hope, pain, sorrow, and love, gorgeous scenery, brilliant musical scores, and a conclusion that will leave viewers breathless and impatiently awaiting the next installment, "Catching Fire" is sure to be a hit to any viewer with good taste in films. 9/10