Remember Who The Enemy Is

Rating: 8/10 (19 January 2014)

I read Catching Fire even before the first Hunger Games movie came out and I was impressed with the whole series, not only The Hunger Games. Is the movie adaptation of Catching Fire worthy of the book?
My answer is yes. In many ways, it surpasses the book. Jennifer Lawrence, who has no relation to the director Frances Lawrence, breathes life into the character of Katniss and no one could play it better. There is no question that Jennifer Lawrence is perfectly cast and an amazing actress who has not only proved her abilities in this film and the original The Hunger Games but last years Silver Linings Playbook and the indie gem Winter's Bone. She brings the ferocity necessary to her role but not only brings what is necessary but adds to the character which is the best an actress or actor can do.
The supporting cast, lead by Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lenny Kravitz and Donald Sutherland are all great. The only actress I had a problem with was Jena Malone because although she shined her some scenes, particularly her interview with Stanley Tucci's hilarious game-show host character, Caeser Flickerman, she overacted a lot in the arena. Josh Hutcherson gives a strong performance as Peeta, also.
Francis Lawrence breathes new life into the film and although doing a tremendous job, I'm surprised that he was chosen as the director. So many crazy-talented directors were considered such as Alfonso Cuaron, director of this year's Gravity which is thought to be a tough competitor for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Special Effects, Tomas Alfredson, director of one of the best vampire films ever made, Let the Right One In, and Bennett Miller, director of the 2011 success Moneyball and Capote, starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Then you have Lawrence, the director of the decent I Am Legend but I have to say, he did an outstanding job. The arena scenes are intense as they should be and the ideas that were only explored a tiny bit in the first are almost completely fleshed out. He made a thought-provoking and insanely entertaining film.
My only complaint is the writing. I loved how it completely dove into these darker ideas that were always kind of lurking in the shadows in the first film but in the second one, they're fully exposed but the love scenes between Katniss and Peeta can get pretty cheesy. Luckily, the actors have the skill to make them more bearable.
I really did like The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and I thought it was better than the original source material and the first film so if the movies go at this rate, this will probably be a film series that many more are compared to in terms of quality.
I give The Hunger Games: Catching Fire an A-.
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