Los juegos del hambre: En llamas

An earlier reviewer compared this to the Japanese cult favorite Battle Royale and decided it was almost junk. I beg to differ - the film needs to be evaluated on its own merits and its own story. Battle Royale is a single story about merciless, wanton and senseless violence and depravity when the aim was simply to be the last to survive - a kill- fest, where the innovative ways of killing serve to shock and titillate the audience but do little for the plot. The Hunger Games however, is about oppression, fighting back and revolution. The Games, though pivotal, are still part of a larger story.

Compared to the first film, this one is definitely darker. The characters look even more despondent than ever, and if you thought there were few laughs in the first film, there is practically none in this. Even the brightly-lit scenes featuring cheering crowds and smiling hosts seemed dim, bleak and depressing. While enjoying the witty banter, you couldn't help but wait for the 'but...'. The feeling of doom and gloom persists from the start to the end of the film. It is not a bad thing though - it is not supposed to be a happy movie.

Many details and subplots were understandably cut from the film adaptation, but none that were critical to the plot of the film. However, a lot of the peripheral action that were in the book is missing here, hence, though the story moves quickly enough, there is always the feeling that for an action-thriller, there aren't enough fights or explosions. The ones they movie do have aren't exciting or grand enough.

But in terms of story-telling, the movie still works to move from the first film and prepare for the third. The seeds of revolution have been planted and watered, and we now prepare for the maturing and harvesting.

Jennifer Lawrence didn't do as well here as in the last film, probably because most of the growing needed has been done previously. Josh Hutcherson though, put in a better performance. While he may previously be the injured lovestruck puppy dog, his maturing into a more complex character in this movie means he starts carrying more of the film.

Emotionally, this movie affected me less than the last one. Maybe it's partly because I know what is coming, but that accounts for a very minor percentage. Mostly it's because the film is unable to engage your baser emotions - nothing that truly tugs at your heartstrings. The pervading gloom also seems to have sapped any ability to feel more despondent than you think you already are.

It is still a movie that can be enjoyed though, and I did enjoy it enough. Hopefully the next film will provide for more emotional variance. If you don't feel for the characters, you won't care about the film.

Fearing an uprising over Katniss and Peeta's success at The Hunger Games, he changed the rules for the upcoming 75th games, the pair are right back inside the deadly games, only this time, the competition is much tougher.

With the release of the new film just around the corner, I wanted to revisit them all, my feelings haven't changed, I still think that this is the best of the lot so far, I think it's better than the original film.

I think it's a little slow to start, the impression you get early on is that it's an in depth look at life for Katniss and Peeta after the games, but when the twist comes, the film really does open up.

It's not overlong, I'm glad they didn't push it out any further.

There are some exciting sequences, these games really do provide a few thrills.

Jennifer Lawrence is excellent as Katniss, her performance for me is superior to her previous one, she's excellent, as are Philip Seymour Hoffman and Donald Sutherland. Toby Jones, still doesn't work for me here.

Best of the lot for me.

8/10.

From the acting to the sets to the special effects, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is an exceptional film. This movie is long, but it doesn't feel watered down or stretched out - there is plenty of story and action to fill the time. Plus, Jennifer Lawrence doesn't have to carry the movie on her own. The supporting cast does an excellent job, as well. This film can't really stand on its own, but it's still a fun ride and a well-done adaptation of the book.

I wouldn't exactly call myself a fan of the books, but I did enjoy Hunger Games, despite it's tweenie appeal. I'm a sucker for these kinds of things. Maybe it's the Battle Royale and Lord of the Flies fan in me. I did enjoy the first movie. It was a very well done adaptation. However, having read the entire trilogy, I feared that adapting the rest of the material would result in something similar to the books: terrible follow ups. As someone who takes the content of these books and the things that themes and stories they are trying to tell just a bit more seriously than the target age group might, I groaned and moaned throughout the novels, especially the last one. However, the film has done something I didn't think it could do: not suck.

That's right, the movie does not suck. In fact, it's actually quite good. So good that it out does The Hunger Games in nearly every way, something that is quite the opposite of the novel. Where the original movie, while good, also came off feeling like it was feeding that tweenie audience it was aimed at, something about Catching Fire feels far more serious and far more mature. The film picks up right where we left off. Katniss and Peeta are on their victory tour, while the rest of the districts are showing signs of civil unrest due to Katniss defiance of The Capitol, that oppressive government regime that forces districts to send their children to die. To send a message to the districts that the capitol is still evil, they devise a new Hunger Games, this time forcing past victors back into the arena. Because what is a Hunger Games movie without the Hunger Games.

The first film, at times, felt like it was doing too much to introduce us into this world. Everything felt like some kind of obvious plot detail. While I enjoyed the film, I often felt disconnected to it and the issues it tried to present. There was so much focus on details of the world and the games, that the presentation of the world seemed to take a back seat. Lawrence was the major saving grace, though even she wasn't perfect. All of this has changed. With the games essentially taking a secondary part in the film, there is a stronger emotional connection. It helps that all the actors involved are not only a bigger part of the film but seem to be more comfortable and are much more convincing in their roles. Where the characters of Effie and Haymitch and even Gale seemed purpose driven, with little more than a role to fill, here they feel more fleshed out. They have a greater impact and there is more of an emotional connection, from Haymitch's clear frustration between his contempt for the Capitol and his attempts to keep Katniss and Peeta alive, to Effie's attempt to keep everyone as a team and sure signs that she is struggling with the facts of Katniss and Peeta once again thrown into turmoil.

The performances are the primary strength here. They do deliver on the emotion that is necessary to drive this story and don't feel like they are catering just to tweens, with the poorly written love triangle of the novel and the more trivial elements that are apart of the kind of writing that comes with novels aimed at tweens. Catching Fire feels like a serious movie with a serious story to tell. At it's heart is Jennifer Lawrence, who seems like a completely different person here. Since the original movie, as an actor, Lawrence has had several projects and has even won an Oscar. And so, it is no surprise that she feels like she is at an entirely different level. She seems more natural as Katniss and her acting is far more convincing. She comes off as someone who is not only conflicted, but scared. Even so, she remains strong and determined. Much like the first movie, as Katniss, she proves to be among the best of role models for young folk.

But beyond the performances, everything just feels elevated. The story has a better focus on the growing revolution that is clearly starting. The themes are more apparent and focused on. Everything feels less obvious and more natural. Gone are introductions to this world and it's elements, replaced by a futuristic vision carried purely by it's story and characters. Even the games are better, with more exciting action, better effects, and better character interaction, helped by a cast of new characters as fellow tributes.

I do seem to be gushing about the film, and it's not one I had expected to like nearly as much as I did, but I have to admit it: this was a very pleasant surprise. My fear now is that the next films won't live up to this sequel. But, I will give them more of the benefit of the doubt, considering how much this film blew me away as far as surpassing expectations. As I said in my review for the first film, fans will love this, and non-fans may also find themselves won over.

Ever since I first saw it in theaters, Catching Fire has been one of my favorite movies of all time. It's so much better than the first one. It explores the story's political conflict more deeply and greatly expands on the dystopian universe.

The new director gives it a fresh and improved vision. The first one had audiences criticizing the shaky and desaturated camerawork and this sequel fixed it. Even though one this movie involves Katniss and Peeta competing in the games again, it never feels like a repeat of the first one. They understand that viewers already know how the games work and take advantage of the chance to explore new concepts with it.

Catching Fire should be an example to all filmmakers of how to do a good sequel.