REVIEW: ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ Blazes Onscreen

Star Rating: ★★★★☆

The opening shot of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, directed by Francis Lawrence (Water For Elephants, I Am Legend), is a bleak one. We are welcomed into the second instalment of the popular franchise with a silhouette of a damaged Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) against a harsh backdrop of snow and ice. This despondent shot sets us up for just under 2 and a half hours of film, as the story of the Girl on Fire continues. Already, in the first few minutes of film you get a sense of confidence in the footage; something which was largely absent from the first movie by Gary Ross.

From the first moment, we are immediately drawn back into the story of Katniss Everdeen, a girl who is one of two victors of The Hunger Games (an annual event where 24 tributes are chosen to fight in an arena till the death, for the sick amusement of the Capitol). Director, Francis Lawrence, cleverly gives a nod to events of the first movie to initiate unfamiliar viewers, showing how their resonance is still very much affecting Katniss’ life. Although Lawrence picks up the story effortlessly, we proceed into the first act of the movie at a somewhat jarring pace.

The film, as fans of the book will know, begins with Katniss back home from winning the games, in District 12. She is now living a life of so-called luxury in the ‘Victors Village’, opposite fellow victor and fauxmance lover, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Any notion of happiness the victors are meant to feel is absent here. Katniss and Peeta are still victims of President Snow’s (Donald Sutherland) malicious plans, and their lives are still irreparably damaged. Direction wise, Lawrence had a rather difficult task ahead of him when agreeing to helm this movie. The source material is so clearly divided into three different acts, that melding them together seamlessly for the big screen seemed too big of an ask.

Although the scenes in District 12 are cinematographically very well done and almost identical to the novel, pacing is an issue. Perhaps this is more of a critique of the source material than the movie itself however, as the first act of the novel, on which the movie is based, has the same effect. This could have easily been rectified through more careful selection of book moments to include, as well as some deviation to make the material more cinema-friendly. Despite the 2 hour, 30 minute run time, this first section of the movie felt rushed, and did not establish a consistent flow to allow us to settle back into the characters comfortably. For the uninitiated, the jarring pace, and feeling of forced insertion of fan-favourite book moments and quotes by scriptwriters Simon Beaufoy and Michael deBruyn, left something to be desired.

Things pick up greatly when Katniss and Peeta leave for the ‘Victory Tour’. During this trip, Elizabeth Banks as Effie gives standout performances; she perfectly embodies Effie’s inordinate exuberance and seemingly now-tainted enthusiasm toward the Capitol. The Victory Tour is also cut by Lawrence in a way which is very effective in terms of plot and character development. These scenes make for highly emotional moments, which will no doubt become fan-favourites.

After the Victory Tour is complete, we’re back to District 12, where pacing is back on par with the first movie. For the brief time we’re back, we see the District being overrun by Peacekeepers sent in by President Snow to control the impending rebellion – which was alluded to expertly in the earlier Victory Tour montage. A mention here should be given to Patrick St. Esprit as Romulus Thread, who acts as head Peacekeeper. Although his appearance is very short-lived, he offers up a particularly chilling performance. His inclusion also begins the tone of subversion and strive for domination which the book is most notable for. After this, it is not long before the 75^th Hunger Games are here, and Katniss and Peeta are thrown back into the arena for a second time.

From the moment Katniss and Peeta leave District 12 for the Games, there is a palpable shift in the tone of the movie, and we are finally introduced to the new additions to the cast. Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair, Jena Malone as Joanna Mason, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee, and Jeffrey Wright as Beetee being the most notable new additions. Each arrive with sharp and confident performances – most impressively Malone, who perfectly encapsulates Joanna’s fierce hatred for the system she finds herself in.

Everything is bigger and better; sets are more encompassing and overwhelming, costumes act as a character in themselves, VFX seem so real that its hard to imagine a dress can’t just spontaneously combust into flames, and characters are meatier. Lawrence has worked with the scriptwriters to allow further exploration of the fan-favourite, supporting characters; fleshing them out more than Ross allowed in the first instalment. This makes the tearful goodbyes and longing glances seem tangibly believable, rather than uncomfortably forced. Although the immersive experience of the first movie is sacrificed through this approach, we gain invaluable insight to characters which the first person narration of the books restricts.

“Last year was child’s play” says Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), who acts as Katniss and Peeta’s mentor. This is the most accurate way to describe the difference in the Games this time around. They feel more mature, more malicious, and more terrifying. There is a strange feeling of intoxication caused by the tropical setting of the Games. As soon as we rise on the plate with Katniss into sure death, we feel surrounded, trapped. This is when viewing in IMAX is a must. Suddenly, the arena comes to life, and its terrifying, but wonderful at the same time. This is the turning point, when all the talk of making this movie in IMAX is suddenly justified.

In the entire second act of the movie, Lawrence’s shooting of the games is faultless. Any qualms manufactured by the awkward pacing, and disjointedness of the first act are long forgotten here; the Games are what its all about. We’re thrust into a perilous journey of selfless sacrifice, with our protagonists battling for each other’s lives, whilst also trying to escape the horrendous man-made obstacles created by the Gamemakers. We see them battling horrifically poisonous mist, killer monkeys, huge tidal waves, and blood rain.

Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as the Girl on Fire is perfect once more. Something particularly striking was how unsurprising it was that, even after picking up an Oscar for Best Actress this year, she seemed even better than she’s ever been. She has very much made Katniss her own in this movie, and it showcases her raw talent. Her main co-star, Josh Hutcherson, on the other hand, greatly impressed. His character is far more rounded, thanks to the scriptwriters – a challenge which Hutcherson accepted gracefully, especially considering his main sparring partner is now an Academy Award winner. Hemsworth‘s performance is mostly believable, but he is left with little to do to showcase any of his talent.

Huge commercial success of this movie for Lionsgate, with Jennifer Lawrence helming a superb supporting cast, is surely as certain as the sun rising. Absense of deeper character motives and sensitive plot exploration, makes the ambiguity of them seem confusing and hard to follow; especially toward the end of the movie. However, there is enough explored development, edge-of-seat action, and meaty storytelling to satisfy viewers of all ages. Die-hard fans of the book can rest easy, because this movie is as close to source material as an adaptation gets. If the scope and quality of this movie increased tenfold with a sequel, we can only imagine how Mockingjay Parts 1 & 2 will light up cinema. It looks like the odds are definitely in Lionsgate’s favour…

Run time: 146 mins

Rating: TBC