Hunger Games is indeed catching fire. It's red hot!

Rating: 8/10 (25 November 2013)

A lot of critics are now calling this movie, the Empire Strikes Back of the Hunger Games movie series because of the dark brutality our heroes have to go through. Indeed, this was a pretty dark movie for already dark young adult's novel. The controversial elements seems to die off a little bit, as first off, as the movie has no children killing children theme. Even the murdering is rarely done by the heroes. Instead, the movie focus more on the psychological effects of committing murder, the satire of reality media, conflict between interdependence/independence and fighting against brutality of totalitarianism. This movie is no way, a feel good movie, but it's watchable as the dark themes doesn't make it too depressing. As of a sequel, it was a lot better than the previous film, 2012's Hunger Games as its cut down on the shaky cam. The movie continues the story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and the post results of her win of the previous Hunger Games events. That win has cause a spark into rebellion against the oppressive Capitol of Panem as people view her as a lady liberty type figure. Because of this, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) force her and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) back into the arena in a special edition of the Hunger Games against all the previous winners of the Hunger Games. I have to say the movie follows the book 'Catching Fire' by Suzanne Collins almost exactly. Despite the film cutting a few things out of the book version such as no Bonny, Twill, and Darius. In my opinion, they weren't needed. One thing, they should had add was Katnis watching her mentor Haymitch's (Woody Harrison) previous victory video. Not only does it give depth to Haymitch's character and why he drinks, but how Haymitch and Katnis are more connect to each other then it seems. Not only that, but it foreshadows the ending because it shows that Haymitch use the arena's force field to his advantage. The whole force field attempt in the end was badly explain. The book does it better as it foreshadows it, with the mockingjay watch and the bread code. The changes, they add, really does make the story better like having the Games be first thing, rather than the long wait for it in the book. I like Effie's (Elizabeth Banks) big goodbye. The change emphasizes Effie's humanity, making her movie self-more sympathetic than Collins's cartoonish character. I like how Peeta can swim in this film version and fight out a bit more as it doesn't seem like he was such a dead weight like the last movie. Still, his character is still a one-dimension love interest like the last movie that stupid actions cause a lot of people's deaths. I love how the film shows Katnis post-traumatic stress disorder through the birds. Show, don't tell, at its best right there. New Director Francis Lawrence smartly adds more into that. Because the book is told from Katniss' perspective, I love how the director presented a more, human, multidimensional side to the villains by adding a granddaughter to Snow and putting more insight into the new gamekeeper Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) during the games events. The big twist in this movie is a bit out there. Without spoiling it, it's a bit odd for the people that secretly support the rebellion, to put Katniss in danger at first, only to later help her. It's like saying I will put you through hell by I'm doing this to save you. The logic doesn't make sense, because what if, she get killed because of you. Then you don't have your poster child for your little rebellion. Why couldn't the rebellion just rescue her before the special Hunger Games? The whole reason of having the special Hunger Games could had be prevented. It's not the film's fault, but the whole bad guy turn into good guy in the end of the movie cliché. I do like the other victors characters like Finnick (Sam Clifton) and Beetee (Jeffery Wright). The highlight for me is Johanna (Jela Malone). Malone nail it for me as the sexy vixen. Plus, how they did they find enough victors to represent all 12 districts if 1, 2, 3, 4 mostly wins? Another thing, I can do without is the CGI monkeys. It was awful. At less, it's better than the CGI dogs from the last movie. The violent is still pretty brutal here, but not as vicious as the last movie as less people are trying to kill Katnis in this movie. The problem with these victors is that they were presented as very good killers, but only a few want to kill her, due to all of them very angry at the Capitol. So it was clear that Katnis wouldn't be in that much danger in the games. The deaths in the film wasn't that emotional as the last movie. It's hard to beat, seeing an innocent kid die. I think the only part I cry in this movie was where Katnis visit District 11, the home of Katniss's deceased friend. That was pretty sad. People that compare this movie to 2008's Twilight, need to stop. This movie is smart. The way the film makes fun of reality television, indeed mirrors reality. We choose to expose ourselves to entertainment such as this movie without thinking for once how it visual metaphor, the inhumanities of our real world. I think as more, people really dig into the movie, the more, they can see that. I would put this movie and the books in the same level of George Orwell. Like smart works like George Orwell's 1984, Hunger Games foreshadowing a illustrating exactly where we are headed again, if things do not change for the better. This movie does a great job.