Catching Fire Fails to Even Play With Fire.

Rating: 6/10 (26 November 2013)

I wanted to LOVE this movie, but I just couldn't. Don't get me wrong, this movie is worth a watch and if you are choosing between Thor 2 and Catching Fire, Catching Fire is the clear winner. But this is a film with such a radical premise that is never fully explored or realized in order to gain as much revenue as humanly possible.
I was shocked to find out that this movie actually had a different director than the first. Mid-way through Catching Fire I felt as though I had just re-watched the first half of the original Hunger Games. The style, the story, even the character development was all exactly the same. LITERALLY exactly the same. Examples of similarities between Hunger Games and Catching Fire: 1. Katniss is in love with Gale and wants to run away with him because things are getting tough in district 12. 2. Katniss unexpectedly ends up in the hunger games. 3. Katniss storms out on Peta, Haymitch and Effie while on the train. 4. Fire effects on the costumes. 5. Peta's unexpected plot twist at the interviews. Of course this is a short and simple list that could be expanded. Basically both the first half of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire are exactly the same (almost even the same shots).
Its just repetition repetition. Other than a few twists this film is like a sour regurgitation of The Hunger Games. The director and screenwriter could have run with some of the subtexts (like violence for sport) and show some in your face shocking violence but instead chose the safe route that would guarantee a PG-13 rating... all to cater to a wider audience and generate higher earnings. Other than the costumes, there was nothing creative about this film.
I should mention though, the acting performances were fantastic and spot on. No complaints there.
For these reasons I give it a 6/10. Watch it if you like, but its no film of the year and will more than likely be the most quickly forgotten of the series.
Zach