The only great sequel to the original Hunger Games.

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2017)

Catching Fire perpetuates itself to be 'The Empire Strikes Back' of the Hunger Games canon, and on that front I can say it definitely succeeds there: the set-pieces are bigger the perils are raised to the next level and the baddies are hell-bent on destroying the last remnants of hope remaining in Panem.
The first of three sequels to the original film, Catching Fire is far and wide the most beautifully shot of the franchise thanks to its utilisation of 35mm and IMAX-65mm celluloid cameras that makes the images on-screen wonderfully realised and applies the scope and scale of the action sequences. It makes you feel like the action is something monumental to behold.
As far as sequels go, is this the best one ever made? No, but it's definitely up there for sequels from the 2010s, easily ranking on near-equal footing with other sequels like Skyfall and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2.