The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

The Hunger Games trilogy continues to catch fire last November 2013 with its second installment, Catching Fire directed by the Grammy award winner, Francis Lawrence. Starred by the three primary and most payed actress and actors in the film industry, Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne.

The movie started when Katniss Everdeen trying to hunt some animals in the woods and suddenly joined by Gale Hawthorne which gave her bow in complete stretched with the arrow. This first scene is a good appetizer for the viewers as it hypes and catches the viewers attention. 

Hunger games is the annual and traditional game in which two tributes, boy and girl will volunteer or be forced to represent their own district. There are twelve districts of Panem and all pairs will go to capitol each year to practice and embrace the bloody game. Everyone of them will be moved to kill 23 tributes as there will be only one be crowned as victor. Every 25th year of the games, the President of Panem, this time's Snow, will select a card from a box made from the original establishment of the games that makes the rules of the reaping be changed. 

This time, the tributes should come from the pool of victors from each district. Unfortunately, there were only 3 victors present of District twelve, Katniss, Peeta and Haymitch Abernathy. Remember, a boy and a girl should represent as tributes and that means, Katniss will be selected again as tribute. Haywitch was drawn by Effie Trinket as her role is to escort and draw names during reaping. Expectantly, Peeta volunteers for Haymitch in order to continue protecting and loving Katniss in good times or bad times.

Jennifer Lawrence portrayed an amazing role in this film which proves that her recent academy award is worthy enough, though she had a bad circumstance while getting and climbing up the stairs for the award. Her fall in the ceremony didn't stop her to impress and make trends on twitter in this movie. That scared and vulnerable Katniss she portrayed makes her more of an actress. The way she shows fearlessness and tenderness of each scene especially that moment when they had to visit each districts after winning the 74th hunger games made me stunned and choked with astonishment.  

Josh Hutcherson performed a  good act as well as he plays his role as sweet and romantic baker boy. He admires Katniss so much in this film and always been putting his feet ahead to protect Katniss even if his life is an exchange for her. He is developing so much in this role compared to other movies I've seen of him. I thought his role is not that complicated as he has this innate charm and softness that maybe most of us won't see. 

Liam Hemsworth plays as Katniss Everdeen's hunting partner and best friend. He has more scenes on this installment compared to the first one of the trilogy. The best part of him for me is when he was bloody beaten by one of the peacekeepers from the capitol as he was trying to save other civilian from their district. Well, he has beaten for this reason which is different when you read the book He put so much courage on this film as what Gale should be on this movie. He has also this innate charm to contain and portray such roles like this.

Other characters portrayed good roles as well like Elizabeth Banks who just naturally enact that elegance and beauty as Effie. Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, middle-aged drunkard who hates the capitol genuinely knows where to stand on this film and to which extent they should play his role together with Donald Sutherland as ruthless President Snow who possessed innate total power over his subordinates.

The amazing sound and visual effects of the movie feeds the viewers' starvation of astonishment. The fashion statements and the setting of the game were even better than the first installment. I was rooting for more visually feasting scenes especially when Katniss and other tributes were in the practice hall or studio because I thought it was premature to have that scene when Katniss shooting virtual enemies by her bow and arrows, I mean, I want more scene like that to other tributes. Anyhow, it was really stunning to see when Katniss turned around with this wedding dress turned into a mockingjay dress which surely angers President Snow as this will be another form of rebellion.

The story line is really good because I've never been bored ans sleepy during the whole duration. That moment when Peeta announces the whole Panem that they are going to have a baby really is shocking. I mean, if I hadn't read the book, I would really be shocked by that encounter. When Katniss was struggling to contain her emotion when the game is about to start and her tube was being lifted up while seeing Cinna beaten up by some peacekeepers because of the rebellious idea or dress he made for Katniss. When Katniss and his allies were striving to dodge the poisonous air in the arena and how they managed to fight the monkeys which were really scary. That amazing idea or theory discovered by Wiress in order to prolong their lives in the arena and how Beetee came up the idea to destroy the arena. And that moment when Peeta was electrocuted by the force field he didn't know and how  Finnick Odair performed cardio-pumonary resuscitation procedure.

Overall, the story was completely entertaining as the actings and good effects intertwined together making the film great in a way. I missed to watch this movie on big screen due to some inevitable tasks and so I end up watching it on DVD. I recommend to prepare some food upon watching this movie as this will run for approximately two hours. You'll need some good speaker or music to imbibe the spirit of the film and don't forget to be comfortable watching this one. You won't regret seeing this movie though it will frustrate you by the end of the movie but the sequel is ongoing so don't worry. An 8/10 rating for this one.

Thank you for reading my review.