Let's start off at the beginning. I didn't do a review of Hunger Games because I didn't have these awesome reviews on the top of my mind when the first movie came out. If I had, well, it wouldn't have gotten very good crossover ratings. Too many differences, I really didn't care for Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, I'm really not a Josh Hutcherson fan at all, blah blah blah. This review is not going to be like that.
Mostly because, well, Catching Fire was F*CKING AMAZING!!!!!!
This was my favorite book of the series. The twists and turns, the alliances, the storyline, the character development...it was amazing. And the movie was literally like turning each page for each scene. Sure, there were a few differences, but they were far and few between.
I'll just give a brief synopsis without giving away too many spoilers. If you've read the book or know the basic gist, you can keep reading. Don't worry...I won't tell about the end or major twists. Katniss and Peeta return to District 12 after winning the 74th Hunger Games. They need to go on a victory tour to the districts and Capital, which they do, all while trying to calm the masses who are on edge and wanting to rebel against the Capital. President Snow threatens Katniss's friends and family if she can't convince the districts that her and Peeta's love is true, and well, nothing seems to satisfy him, so she fails. The Quarter Quell 75th Hunger Games bring back two victors into the games again, and Katniss and Peeta end up in the arena for the second year in a row.
I saw this as a double feature, with the first movie starting at 5:15pm and then the new film at 8pm on IMAX last night (yup, day before it officially opened...you wish you were as cool as me.) It was worth the money to see it on IMAX, because this one was specifically filmed on special IMAX film I guess. The colors were bright, the sound was surround, and you felt like you were in the rainforest-esque arena with the tributes/victors. No one left the entire film, no one moved, people cried, people laughed, people sat with their jaws on the ground at the final image of the film.
Cast? Perfect. Absolutely Perfect.
Jennifer Lawrence really became Katniss this time around. From her first scene to the final one, she literally killed it. I get that most action film actors/actresses don't get nominated for high awards like Oscars and Golden Globes, but I could totally see her getting the nominations for this role and film, just in the emotional roller coaster she takes us on. Josh Hutcherson impressed me as Peeta this time too...well, more than he did the first film. Liam Hemsworth is a gorgeous man, and he brought through Gale again just as he is in the books. My heart went out to him in the square and with the snow coat. Woody Harrelson rocks as Haymitch, making me laugh and cry all at the same time. Elizabeth Banks brought something more to Effie this time that touched your heart. Lenny Kravitz wasn't quite as good this time as Cinna, but wow the scene as Katniss goes up in the tube into the arena...I wasn't looking forward to it to begin with, and I cringed. Philip Seymour Hoffman was a welcome addition to the cast as new head gamemaker Plutarch, though I felt like his acting was pretty forced at times. Jena Malone and Sam Clafin were great in their roles as Johanna and Finnick too. And Donald Sutherland as President Snow is terrifying in his calm ability to scare the shit out of you.
Here's one of the trailers to take a look:
During one of the climactic scenes in the arena, I did find myself wondering if it's a good thing to know the books so well or if it's a bad thing going into the movie. I mean, they were so similar in this case, more than any other book to film adaptation I've read or seen, that it held no surprises. But that's not saying that it was not spectacular and totally worth the wait for it.
All of that said, GET THEE TO A THEATER TO SEE IT!
Book: 5 stars
Film: 5 stars
