When a beloved book series is adapted to film, fans become both excited and nervous with good reason. Some book to film adaptions don’t stay true to the original story, thus destroying the greatness of the book. Fans of “The Hunger Games” had nothing to worry about with the first movie and definitely don’t have to be concerned with the sequel “Catching Fire.” Just like the first movie, the sequel accurately follows the plot and characters of the second book.
“Catching Fire” opens with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) back in District 12 after the traumatic 74th Hunger Games. She has suffered some serious mental and emotion trauma from the games.. After winning the games, she no longer has to be concerned with feeding her family because they are now taken care of, but both her and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are preparing to head off to all the districts on the victory tour. Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) is torn up after what happened with Katniss and Peeta in the last games, and no matter how much Katniss reassures him it was just an act to help her come out of the games alive, he doesn’t believe her.
Meanwhile, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is concerned with how Katniss’ acts during the game are affecting the people of Panem. He threatens to kill her loved ones if she does not convince him that her actions in the game were out of love for Peeta. When Peeta and Katniss return home to District 12 after completing the victory tour, the next Hunger Games is announced where previous victors will be selected to return to the arena to fight to the death for a second time. Peeta and Katniss return to the Capitol to begin training once again.
Lawrence, as like with the first movie, skillfully captures Katniss’ emotions and trauma from the games. Her lighthearted nature is not present at all when she plays Katniss. Lawrence gets inside Katniss’ head and stays there until the cameras stop rolling. Hemsworth’s part becomes larger in this movie as Katniss spends more time in District 12 with Gale.
Peeta is dealing with his own trauma, as well as with his unrequited feelings for Katniss. Hutcherson has said in many interviews that he relates to Peeta a lot, and this truth can be seen through his acting. He understands Peeta, which helps him to portray his character perfectly. He is determined to protect Katniss at all costs, while she is trying to do the same for him.
The music flows and compliments the movie perfectly while the visual effects take the viewer right into the action. The books are in Katniss’ point of view, limiting the reader from knowing what is going on when she is not on the scene. However, like in the first film, the camera cuts away from Katniss to show the view of President Snow and the gamemaker who controls everything that happens in the arena.
As readers of the book will know, the sequel features a complicated arena, and a shocking cliff-hanger ending that leaves the audience wanting the next book or movie at that moment.
I give this movie five out of five stars. It was just as phenomenal as its predecessor. The third and final book, “Mockingjay,” is being split into two movies, which they are currently filming. The first part will be released next November, and millions of fans are waiting in anticipation.
