The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

There are movies like the "Twilight" series and then there are movies like the "Hunger Games" series. Similar in that the hero is a female protagonist caught in a love triangle and torn between what is right and wrong but different in almost every other facet up to and including how the execution of the movie adaptation from YA novel series to worldwide blockbuster franchise is done right or for lack of a better term: holocausty.

"The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" is the 2nd in the 4 movie series based on the "Hunger Games" YA trilogy of novels (make sense?) The original brought two major things to the table upon its release last year, first was a new franchise that both women and men could find interest in and more importantly it brought Jennifer Lawrence into the mainstream with her role as heroine Katniss Everdeen. Catching Fire is the rarest of rare sequels in that it exceeds the overall experience from the first movie, basically improving on every flaw that the first one had.

I, along with other fans of the book series felt that the 3 books dissolved in quality as they progressed. The filmmakers have made great decisions in creating new things for the book to film adaptation that even at a 2 and a half hour running time makes the film feel fast paced and not just recycling the best things from the first movie. The first Hunger Games is by no means a bad movie but it took its time introducing the characters and original director Gary Ross relied too much on the hand held shaky camera to get his point across. "I Am Legend" and go to "TRL" music video director Francis Lawrence is better suited for this type of material, "Catching Fire" just seems crisper and cleaner than its predecessor.

Lawrence is, as stated in previous entries a "AOM" fave. Continuing to show she has many hats, "Catching Fire" is her follow up to last years Oscar winning turn in what was my favorite film of 2012 "Silver Linings Playbook".  Unlike say Kristen Stewart, Lawrence seems game and ready to take on a blockbuster franchise as well as hone her craft with smaller fare like "Silver Linings" and "Winter's Bone". Delivering hokey dialogue is a must in this kind of movie and Lawrence delivers on all levels, her take on Katniss has to be considered one of the best female action heroes along with Sigourney Weaver's "Ellen Ripley" from the "Alien" series. The rest of the cast is almost pitch perfect. Early 2000's indie darling and almost "it" girl Jenna Malone nearly steals the movie from Lawrence as fellow arena competitor Johanna Mason, its definitely a supporting role but every time she is on screen you want more of her. Donald Sutherland as President Snow and Phillip Seymour Hoffman as game creator Plutarch Heavensbee eat up all their scenes and the 2 or 3 they have together are especially juicy. Much like Anthony Hopkins in "Thor 2" these two distinguished actors know they are above the material they are given but they have fun and do the most with it. Stanley Tucci and Elizabeth Banks return as fan favorites Caesar Flickerman and Effie Trinket. Josh Hutcherson improves the most from the first film as one part of the Katrniss, Peeta, Gale love triangle. Liam Hemsworth, Thor's younger and especially boring brother treads dangerously on Robert Pattison territory again as Gale. Other fun casting choices include Jeffery Wright and Amanda Plummer as two older arena competitors and especially Patrick St. Esprit as Commander Thread who makes a great splash in his lone introductory scene.

For the uninitiated "The Hunger Games" tells the story of America in the distant future that has been through another, much more destructive civil war. The losers of the war have been divided into districts with "The Capitol" ruling over them all. As a constant reminder to stay in check each year "The Hunger Games" are held which requires a lottery in each district selecting one male and female to travel to the capitol and participate in a fight to the death with the other competitors with the lone remaining survivor reaping the benefits as "Hunger Games" champion. This premise is what sold me in the beginning and leaving out the fancy costumes and love triangles its far and away the most interesting thing about the movies. "Catching Fire" wisely focuses more on the training for the games and the battle itself than the first one. "Catching Fire" also needs to set up a lot bigger picture that will be seen in parts 1 and 2 of "Mockingjay" and it does so-unlike some Marvel features without taking away from the current movie at hand.

"Catching Fire" in no way suffers from a sophomore slump, if you were a fan of the first movie this should exceed all expectations and if you've read the books you'll be especially happy.