Season 2, Winter 2014, Movie Review #8: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

   Late 2013 brought, in my opinion, the two movies that stole the year, one being the second Hobbit film, The Desolation of Smaug, and the other being The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, a film adaption of Suzanne Collin's New York Times Bestselling sequel to The Hunger Games, a dystopian book series set in the near to faraway future.
   Between The Desolation of Smaug and this movie, I am tormented to come up with a favorite, and I can't decide yet, but I'm leaning towards Catching Fire. So, if you've got a little time, pull up a seat and enjoy my take on this box-office monster.


PART ONE: THE PLOT

   A handful of berries. A moment of rebellion. A martyr. A spark of hope.
Oppressed by the total power of the Capitol for over 75 years, the 12 starving Districts under its power have long since abandoned even the vain dream of hope, as far away as the stars from the soil they strive over.
   For 74 years, the Capitol has forced the 12 Districts to send two Tributes, one male and one female, to compete in the Games, a fight to the death among children from the ages of 12 to 18.
  The Games take place in a nightmarish Arena full of terrifying creatures and deadly challenges, to say nothing of the other Tributes. Death is certain, as only one Tribute can come out alive, with the promise of lifelong wealth and comfort.
   A promise that was kept...Until now.
In the wake of the 74th Annual Hunger Games, in which not one but two victors were allowed to live, the female Tribute from District 12, the Girl on Fire, Katniss Everdeen, is home again. Struggling with her own trauma and confused between the two men she cares about, Gale and her fellow victor, Peeta Mellark, Katniss has come to the conclusion that she never truly won the Games.
   With the attention of the Capitol solely resting on Katniss and Peeta, the 'star crossed lovers from District 12', Katniss fears for the safety of her family and her District.
   When the Capitol's President Snow himself visits Katniss's new home in the Victors Village, the deadly thread she must walk is made clear: She will be madly in love with Peeta. She will convince the Capitol and the President that her gambit for bringing both of them out of the Arena was an act of passionate love, not of rebellion. She will not be the spark of hope the Districts think she is.
   She will go on her Victory Tour with Peeta, visiting the Districts, and say nothing but what is pre-written by the Capitol on her cards. If she fails, neither she nor any of the people she loves will have a second chance.
   But when the 75th Annual Hunger Games is announced to involve twice the number of Tributes, all reaped from the existing pool of Victors, however, Katniss realizes that following Snow's orders may not be as easy as she thought.
   Struggling to quell both the rebellion in the Districts as well as the rebellion within, Katniss Everdeen fears the last thing she will see is the whole of Panem catching fire.


PART TWO: THE REVIEW

   Cinematography: Excellent. Visual Effects: High quality. Music: emotional and fitting. Physical Plot: Intense and very suspenseful.
Emotional story: Tear jerking and heartfelt (Of course, I didn't cry), incredibly well-done.
   As an adaption from the book (Which I read), I could not be happier. In the book, I felt like Suzanne Collins threw together a bunch of elements and plot moments at random, dispensing with organization, and adding things that were not necessary. The movie, however, is well-scripted, well organized, and excellently streamlined, wasting no time with unnecessary stuff. The suspenseful plot, combined with the emotional story, were straight to the point, the point itself being well communicated.
   The familiar themes of the original return: Survival versus sacrifice, killing versus sparing, the role of government, the role of rebellion, the symbolism of Katniss herself, paired with the Mockingjay, the power of hope versus the strong control of fear, and much more. Very thought provoking stuff, worthy of discussion with your family and friends.
   Though there are definitely evil forces in the film, the positive messages conveyed by the good characters are well contrasted against that evil.
   Peeta is kind and looks out for Katniss, willing to risk his life for her. Gale pushes Katniss to become the Mockingjay, the symbol of District rebellion, and to achieve her potential, while at the same time showing his willingness to fight for what and who he believes in. Newcomer characters Johanna Mason and Finnick Odair risk their lives, along with a few other new Tribute characters, to save or help Katniss and Peeta.
   Cinna, like Gale, reaches out to Katniss's inner rebellion in his own way by making Mockingjay outfits for her. Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta's mentor, promises to go to the Games in Peeta's stead, and Peeta does the same. Haymitch is very supportive of Peeta and Katniss and helps every way he can.
 

 
   Obviously, though, it's Katniss who takes the cake.
Devoted to loving and protecting her family and friends, Katniss shows a brave and selfless face to others despite her own inner torment. She tries to save Peeta and others over and over, and does not toy with either Peeta or Gale's feelings. She is giving and loving towards her little sister, Prim, and is impressed by Prim's own growing bravery. She stops a Peacekeeper from brutally torturing Gale, and is involved with getting him healed afterward. When District 12 receives a visit from a large troop of Peacekeepers who go around destroying black markets and harming anyone in the way, Katniss helps an elderly women whose eye has been hurt. Katniss shows her heartfelt regards to District 11, the place where the little girl and martyr of the rebellion, Rue, was born, and Peeta promises to donate money and food to the people of the District.
   It hardly needs to be said these days, but Jennifer Lawrence not only portrayed Katniss perfectly--she blew other actors out of the water. The other actors and actresses performed seamlessly as well, but as before stated, it's Lawrence who takes the prize.
   A fresh and exhilarating story, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire took center stage for 2013 cinema.
In fact, I'll decide it now--I preferred it to The Desolation of Smaug (Although I beg you to go watch that too!).


PART THREE: CONTENT REPORT

   Katniss does much more kissing this time around with Gale and Peeta, and also gets kissed randomly by a stranger. Johanna Mason has an unforeseen stripper moment in an elevator in front of Peeta, Katniss and Haymitch (Shoulders and back seen only, along with the others' reactions), after asking Peeta what it's like to have everyone in the Capitol want to sleep with him.
   Johanna also has a f-bomb dropping episode against the Capitol with Caesar Flickerman (the profanity is bleeped out, but heavily implied, although I say the Capitol deserves what it gets). S--t is said, also.
   As in the previous movie, the Games take place with Tributes killing each other with a variety of weapons and in a variety of ways (Stab, drown, slash, shoot, poison etc.), and some innocent people are killed off camera. There are riots, Peacekeepers destroying black markets etc. and dealing public whippings. Peeta and Katniss are the youngest contestants in the Games, and as such they bring back the idea of children killing each other.
   People are shown covered in what looks like a mixture of mud and blood (Not their own).
Creepy monkeys attack the Tributes, poisonous fog brings hideous boils/blisters to their skin, and Jabberjay birds simulate pained screams of those the hearers love, which is particularly painful for Katniss and Finnick. There are a few jump-out-of-your-seat moments.
   As sensitive as I am to psychological elements in movies (PTSD moments, for example), I was not disturbed in the least by Katniss's moments of fear after nightmares and flashbacks. They aren't dramatized or focused on too much, and they aren't eery, but that's not to say more sensitive viewers than me might be disturbed by them.
   Katniss and Haymitch drink, and two Tributes are called Morphlings, a reference to their Morphine or whatever it is addiction. A person in the Capitol offers Peeta a drink that will make him throw up so he can eat more. The movie is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some frightening images, thematic elements, a suggestive situation and language.


PART FOUR: RATING AND CONCLUSION

   I shall give it five stars. There's nothing I can think of about this movie that I dislike. I love the symbolisms involved (As a writer, I try to create my own symbolisms, so it was fun looking for them), the themes explored, and the story told--what more could you say? I was emotionally invested, mentally involved, and satisfyingly entertained--more so, I admit, than I was with The Desolation of Smaug (Again, though, go watch that too!). While I disliked the book, I very much enjoyed this film adaption, and I look forward to when it comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray. You won't be able to resist following Katniss Everdeen, and you won't be able to take your eyes off the story as it really does start catching fire.
   So, I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Go get a ticket or two and give The Hunger Games: Catching Fire a try!

Peace,
Matt~