The original left us 'hungry' for a decent film - whereas this sequel left us full and wanting more!!! Read on to find out why!

Rating: 8/10 (3 December 2013)

Did you like the original Hunger Games movie last year? I really didn't.
Kids on an island fighting to the death – that's Battle Royale isn't it? Okok, I was still willing to give it a shot but then came the silly story about how the government used the games to remind people of the government's power and control, to prevent any uprisings and rebellions. Not really believable that a bunch of kids fighting on an island would somehow stop adults in the real world from revolting if they wanted to, don't really see how the two are connected at all. To compound things, there was a random love triangle and then the movie finally anti-climaxed in the actual Hunger Game action sequence at the end. It was just a highly forgettable experience and never really seemed believable.
So here we are yet again. Jennifer Lawrence returns as Katniss Everdeen with Josh Hutcherson as fellow Hunger Game winner Peeta Mellark. We are reintroduced to the cold grey world of the future and the iron fist with which it's ruled. Katniss and Peeta are doing the rounds as a celebrity couple; a façade that they had hoped would have ended after they won their Hunger Game. To the contrary, their defiance has drawn the eyes of the nation onto them, including those of President Snow.
Through the fear that their defiance would give the people enough hope and courage to revolt, and to put an end to past winners thinking they are above reproach, President Snow decides to hold a special Hunger Game in celebration of the events 75th anniversary. He decrees that for this special Hunger Game, the contestants would be all previous Hunger Game winners.
And so Katniss and Peeta once again find themselves in battle. Can they survive a second time round? You'll have to find out!
So how does this sequel live up to the lackluster original? Well I'm happy to say that Catching Fire is a superior movie on every level.
Everything is fleshed out more, characters are developed and we are shown more of the consequences the Hunger Games have on the society and population at large. I found myself suddenly caring for characters that I couldn't care less for in the last movie. I found myself starting to get engrossed in the unusual dystopia depicted in the movie and feeling genuine concern for the survival of the good guys. I made the connection that I tried but could not find in the previous installment, helped no end by a pretty great action finale. This is by no means a perfect movie. The love story still feels unnecessary and the socio-political significance of having the Hunger Games still remains highly questionable. Additionally, the semi-twist ending is quite obvious and easy to see coming. None of this, however, made the film any less enjoyable.
I never thought I'd say this but I'm already looking forward to the next movie in the series.
An enjoyable movie even for those who did not like the original. Catching Fire finally makes Hunger Games something more than just a Battle Royale rip-off.
Check it out!
Rating 8 out of 10
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