Let me start off by saying, if you didn’t read Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” (which you should because it’s great) – you won’t be lost while watching the movie.
For those who did read the book – don’t take away from the experience of watching the movie by comparing it to the book. It’s different, but you’ll like it. Just sit back and watch how the visitors of District 12 deal with their new lives.
I did not take my own advice, however. For the first 30 minutes of the movie, I mumbled to myself about all the differences – a lot. Interestingly enough, it makes the story easier to follow. It even answers questions I still had after reading the book.
I loved this movie. To me the differences in the book didn’t matter.
With the first scene of this movie, you already know director Francis Lawrence’s take on the series is grittier than that of the director of the first film, Gary Ross. I loved it because it shows how the story has evolved since “The Hunger Games.” Everything about everyone’s life in all the districts has changed, and not necessarily for the best.
Jennifer Lawrence comes back to her role as the heroine Katniss Everdeen, following her Oscar win for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook.” For those who think Lawrence’s return as the girl on fire is beneath her in any way will be in for a surprise. Her acting is impeccable in this movie. Lawrence shows a strong-willed yet vulnerable girl who just wants to protect her family but ends up having to protect, and unknowingly arouses hope in, an entire nation. When she’s angry, you will feel her anger and be angry with her – the same way with every other emotion. One scene, which I won’t explain in too much detail, she cries and screams and you feel that agony with her whole-heartedly – you want to save her and tell her it’ll be OK. She has already proved she’s a serious, talented actress and her acting in this movie backs it up. Lawrence’s fiery performance may be the main focus, but her star-crossed lover’s acting in the film isn’t something to overlook.
The boy with the bread, a.k.a Peeta Mallark, a.k.a. Josh Hutcherson. For those who saw the first installment in the series, “The Hunger Games,” know how charming and lovable Peeta is. You root for him every step of the way. You see how much he genuinely loves Katniss even though she has, as she says in the movie and the book, no time to think about stuff like that. I truly believe Hutcherson’s performance in the last movie was overlooked, however his performance in “Catching Fire” is undeniably well done.
New supporting actors like Sam Claflin, who plays Finnick Odair, and Jena Malone, who plays Johanna Mason, really embraced their characters’ personalities, which allowed the viewer to feel more invested in the movie. When they moved, the audience followed.
The set design and the costumes are beyond what I pictured when I read the book, and yet, not overdone. Even in the capital, where everything is over-the-top obnoxious – it’s done with discretion and taste, like an editorial fashion spread in Vogue.
Overall, “Catching Fire” continued the framework that was started by the first installment by further elaborating on the political turmoil going on within the districts and the nation’s government. This will prove useful to the viewer when the first of two films of “Mockingjay” are released. Though the storyline may seem rushed in the last half of the 146-minute movie, as it was in the novels, it shows how quickly everything happened and keeps viewers on their toes through its duration.
I am excited to see where they decide to split the last two films, and how one certain actor handles his character’s personality shift that happens in “Mockingjay.”
I rate this movie three out of five stars.
About Chantal Espinoza
