Catching Fire review

Rating: 8/10 (10 December 2013)

I never felt that the first Hunger Games movie was all that bad, but it's certainly not without its flaws. Chief among them were the issues that the threat was not present enough, and the pathos of the characters were not sufficiently developed. These were just a few of the nuances that seems to have translated better in writing than on-screen.
Fortunately, Catching Fire is not just a mere follow-up on the first film; it's an opportunity to rectify the first film's shortcomings and present a much more sublime adaptation of the second novel in the series. The film starts a little slow, taking the necessary time to cover some important ground with the background and characters, before the plot rockets ahead. I've always felt that the scenes in District 11 would be a pretty hard-hitting scene, and the film did not disappoint. From then on, the suspense builds systematically through a series of actions and reactions, based largely in the characters' predicaments. When the actual Quarter Quell starts, it is a pretty fast and intense match that not only involves a lot of bloodshed, but also some crazy environmental hazards and one ambitious endgame. It all culminates in a captivating series of twists and revelations that will inevitably lead into the full-blown revolution that will come in the Mockingjay films (and the film did a fine job of psyching me up for it). Once it got going, the film moved pretty fast, smooth, and with a perfect level of nuance and detail to fully emphasize the significance of the story and the pathos of the characters.
And that's what's really awesome about the film: the storytelling, which is probably as perfect of an adaptation to the book as it can get. It's not just a paint-by-the-numbers replication of the book's scenes; it seems as though the filmmakers took a deeper look at the source material to bring out the characters better (including all the minor characters, who seem to shine much more in this film), and craft a plot that makes better sense. A few minor details are cut out, but are not really missed; the film crams in so much from the book without feeling crowded, and it is pretty much exactly what I pictured it would be from reading the text. So overall, it is a fine story told really well.
Another great thing that's fixed is the camera work: all the crappy shaky-cam shots are gone, and the photography remains solid, steady, and good overall. Editing is equally decent. Acting is decent: Jennifer Lawrence IS Katniss Everdeen. All the other players felt pretty iffy before, but in this film, everybody feels much more natural and much more important than before; they all pull their weight for good effect. Writing is good. This production has some great-looking sets, props, costumes, and special effects (yes, even the SFX have improved), all of which match up with the first film well, but without appearing gaudy or anything. Music is pretty good too.
The Hunger Games films have finally caught on fire with this sequel. Following the book in both plot and spirit, the film is a successful adaptation. It's more competent, more hard-hitting, more consistently engaging, and it even had moments that I felt were brilliant or beautiful. Fans of the book should enjoy this tremendously, while casual audiences might be able to connect with it better than the first film. Recommended! 4/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Very Good | Film: Good)