Hunger Games : L'Embrasement

I think this instalment was the best movie in the series. It has the perfect balance of action and storyline. It expands the world with more backstory and characters, and the effects were better so it was more convincing and we felt like we were part of this world. The casting was quite fitting.

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.

I first want to say that if you are a fan of the books, you will NOT be disappointed. Compared to the first movie adaption, this one soars, leaving the other movie to die out in the hot desert sun.

I had re-read the book a day before I saw it and so I could see what the critical changes were. I would know every fine detail they let out. I first have to let you know that every book-to-movie adaption can't have 100% of the book in their. Plus, the new director, Francis Lawrence, had to clean up the mistakes the first director left out. Another thing, all the very important and even some parts you might think Hollywood would oversee is stitched together.

This has to be the BEST book-to-movie adaption I have ever seen. The visuals, for one, is spectacular. $140 million budget was not wasted, that's for sure! The director packed every little intricate piece possible to make it THE BEST experience us fans could have.

The acting was phenomenal. Katniss is a lot more lively now, because Jennifer Lawrence finally understood her character. The whole cast, including Sam and Josh, were amazing. Even the actress who played Johanna Mason, was FUNNY!

The music, however, copied the first, because I bought the first soundtrack, so I know every little musical detail. They must have used the same music and added a few more. That was sad. But, it did fit with the scene.

The action and suspense will never leave you, as the ending is a cliff hanger, holding on for dear life! (Hunger Games book fans: you won't be disappointed with the ending)

Without a shadow of a doubt, this movie, Catching Fire, really does catch fire and immerses the audience in the Hunger Games. I was truly speechless after the film because it was just so beautiful and satisfying. You don't want to miss the best film of the year, and possibly the highest grossing film of all time!!!

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.