Hunger Games : L'Embrasement

We are now at the post Twilight/Harry Potter era, and The Hunger Games movies are the only young adult novel adaptations that have the same scale of fame of the two former series. And you know that the YA genre has become even worse nowadays; just pick up a random book, mix them with familiar elements that would please teenager hormones, and good to go. But Catching Fire is obviously different, and these are the reasons why it's much superior compared to those horrible drecks: it has strong ambition, it digs deeper within its themes, and simply tells a story. Thus it finally gets it right by deliberately showed all the interesting parts of the source material.

Everyone will most likely come for the action and the romance, but unlike the last film, this one has a wiser focus: sociopolitical satires. It explores how tyrannical the Capitol government is, and how the media amazingly helps covering their corruption. The context alone is of course immediately compelling, it makes a stirring conviction why they really need to go for a revolution. While it centers Katniss who has issues of her own, her compassion towards her family, friends, and the people of Panem has always felt genuine. Those kinds of emotions work remarkably than the love triangle she's stuck into.

The film once again benefits having Jennifer Lawrence in the lead. She's just incredibly engaging, that you would definitely root for all throughout. The rest of the cast remains as compelling as they were, same goes to the new ones somewhat. Francis Lawrence now handles the series. The camera may be less shaky, but there's always a sense of art in his direction, especially at the midst of silence. The pacing is effortlessly outstanding, which decently balances the drama and the thrills. The games has become a lot electrifying, it is more practical and have greater effect of danger than just characters trying to kill each other. It's a creative turn that goes full momentous until the end. The production and the effects are solid enough to make the exteriors of their world look intriguing.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has a smarter vision and finally hits the right note. The first movie was entertaining, but it hardly bothers showing the actual point of these stories other than enjoying how the games were played. This sequel filled the blanks around the setting thus tells a far more interesting story. And it sure feels like an utter miracle for an awful year for YA films, then again a great young adult book adaptations have always been rare. Overall, it's easily the best one this year, and that is all what you need to know for a while since it's kind of hard talking about it without giving much away. I can't say it's flawless, but it is generally engrossing.

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.

There are two types of sequels. On one side you have The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The The Dark Knight (2008), and on the other you have Jaws II (1978) and Terminator Genysis (2015). Thankfully, Catching Fire falls squarely in the first category. After an exciting, if not entirely fleshed out, first film, Catching Fire delivers on all the promises of intense action, compelling and intriguing story-line and dynamic relationships between the characters that we were all waiting for. The Hunger Games is a series which, conceptually, deserves a well put-together film series. It is a fun and interesting concept which matures with the audience from a usual action-filled romp into a political thriller which can inspire almost anyone. We got what we needed thanks to this wonderful sequel.

In the first film, one of the key issues was the pacing. Many things felled rushed, especially the backstory for the characters which was more or less only seen in brief flashbacks and allusions. The lead up to The Games felt like a formality that they needed to get through so they could show us the action. This is understandable. Everyone wants to see people fighting, not sappy emotional moments from characters we don't even know yet. In Catching Fire, we get a much more fluid arc which gives us the perfect amount of set-up before dropping us into the second installment of The Games, which now have considerably more meaning than just staying alive. In some ways, it is allowed to because now we are familiar with the premises and characters, but the film goes beyond that to an extra level.

Take for example the character of President Snow. In the first film, we get only fleeting glimpses of this menacing character (which, I should add, does mimic the books). In the novel, this is okay because it's from Katniss' point of view. In the film, we need an antagonist, and Donald Sutherland puts on a menacing performance in this role. In Catching Fire, we get to see that in its full development. Snow is at the same time fatherly and forbidding, gentle but powerful. He has that same appeal as Emperor Palpatine or Xerxes, ones who have no accountability and all the power and thus are beholden to no law or morality but their own. This comes through perfectly thanks to the phenomenal acting and fitting script.

At the end of the day though, we get out of the house and go to the theater for a movie like this because we want to see action. It's not shameful to want to see a bit of blood and battling every now and then. Well, let's just say we are not left disappointed. The Games have taken on a whole new life in this installment, and it feels that way. In the first film, The Games are nearly quaint. It is just a simple scenario for the combatants to do what they will, free mostly from egregious deus ex situations. Primitive and effective. In the sequel, it doesn't just seem like person against person, but instead the heroes versus the machine. It is the spark of the rebellion even before it is fully revealed to us. There are enough tricks and surprises of The Games to keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time, wondering how our protagonists will get out of this one.

Predictability is something that a film can suffer or thrive on. Have too much and your audience becomes bored, but too little and you risk raising the brow too high and going over too many heads. Catching Fire seems to find that perfect balance. I found myself often saying "Ah, I know what's going to happen here." and nearly immediately having it happen. I am not saying that as if I have some clairvoyant ability. What this film does it set the scenes up so tightly that you are rewarded for making guesses and allowed to feel like you've won by seeing the action in advance. It is not a cheap tactic either. They hit the mark here by giving you enough to work with but still leaving room for you to be excited and cheer when Katniss does the right thing. At the end, we are given enough of a cliffhanger leave us wanting more from the next sequel.

Catching Fire is what sequels should strive to be. It didn't fall into any of the traps of a well-known series with a good original. It took what made the books and the original great and built on them. It helps that the actors seem to feel natural in their roles and with each other, likely the product of much more time working together. A perfect mix of action, thrills, mystery and socio-political drama, Catching Fire is simply altogether a great film. With this trend in the series, I am excited to see what Mockingjay has in store for me.

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.

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.