Director:
Francis Lawrence
Starring:
Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald
Sutherland, Sam Clafin
I have been
looking forward to the release of this film all year! I read the books over
summer last year and fell completely in love with the story. Admittedly, I
wasn’t sure whether I would like them as the story is a bit of an odd one isn’t
it?! Each year the in the city of Panem 12 boys and 12 girls are selected by an
annual lottery draw and then dumped in an arena where they are forced to fight
to the death on live television? It doesn’t sound like the most cheerful story
in the world does it?! But with so many people raving about how great The
Hunger Games was, I figured I would give it a chance and I’m so glad I did
because I absolutely loved it! Now usually when you love a book and they make a
film of it, it can be somewhat of a disappointment (Twilight being a perfect example here. Total. Let down.). I will
admit to being that annoying person that sits there moaning that they’ve
changed bits and start spouting “well, that didn’t happen in the book!” So when
I watched the first Hunger Games movie I didn’t set my hopes too high, but it
actually turned out to be brilliant. A few characters were a little different
than I imagined (Haymitch and Peeta, for example), but all of the actors did
such a fantastic job that I can’t help but picture those characters in any
other way now. So with one great film already in the bag, could they do it
again with the second? Simply put: yes.
Catching Fire is even more thrilling and exciting than the first. The story is a lot more action-packed and there is a greater sense of threat and danger throughout this movie. President Snow is brought into the forefront in this one and the brutality towards the people living in the outer districts is severely increased (as poor Gale finds out). The film really hits the ground running from the off and it doesn’t lose pace from start to finish – there really is no time to be bored and there is certainly no lapse in the excitement. In this second instalment, we see Katniss and Peeta thrust back into the arena to battle it out once again. As punishment for the rebellion breaking out in some of the outer districts, President Snow (in a desperate attempt to restore order) decides to prove once and for all who is boss by sending 24 victors from previous years back into the arena for the 75th annual Hunger, known as the “Quarter Quell.” New alliances are formed and we are introduced to new characters, Finnick Odair and Johanna Mason being two of the more prominent characters, and this time around the games are tougher, more brutal and the most challenging yet – but the tributes are ready to fight back. I won’t spoil what the ending by revealing what happens in the games in case you haven’t read it, but I will say that it did the book justice.
Jennifer Lawrence is (again) fantastic as the brave and feisty
Katniss, whilst Josh Hutcherson and Woody Harrelson are equally superb in their
roles as Peeta (Hutcherson) and Haymitch (Harrelson). The relationship between
Katniss and Peeta starts to really blossom in this one, but of course, their
partnership is never without its complications. I do also have to commend Jena
Malone for her brilliant performance as Johanna Mason, a victor from District
7. The story can seem a bit doom and gloom but it does have its comical
moments, brought particularly by Jena Malone – her scenes certainly brought in
the most laughs! The only criticism I can think to offer about this film (and
this is really nit-picking) is that occasionally the scenes in the jungle were
a little too dark at times and it was often hard to distinguish what was going
on and who was taking a swipe at who! But other than that, I can’t really fault
it. It was as good, if not better than I hoped it would be.  |
| May the odds be ever in your favour... |
Favourite bit: There are so many but the elevator scene with Johanna was very amusing!
Rating: 9.5/10
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