The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the highly anticipated sequel to 2012’s The Hunger Games, ignites the screen with action, romance, courage, deception, violence, and, of course, lots of fire. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, and most of the others from the first film reprise their roles of inhabitants in a futuristic war-ravaged North America.
As in the first installment, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), both from the impoverished mining community of District 12, are paired together. This time, however, President Snow (Donald Sutherland), who governs over all the districts, demands that as previous Hunger Games winners, platonic friends Katniss and Peeta must travel throughout the land in a victory tour where they (falsely) proclaim their love for each other and gratitude toward the government.
New Rules for The Hunger Games
As the tour progresses, Katniss observes a rising dissatisfaction among the people – a spark of rebellion that’s about to catch fire. When a crafty game designer (Philip Seymour Hoffman) teams with President Snow, the game changes yet again. Suddenly faking it for the camera during their victory tour seems easy compared to the latest challenge.
New rules dictate all previous Hunger Games victors are now the only ones eligible to fight in the deadly contest. Not surprisingly, these victors feel anger and betrayal when they are forced to fight against each other. This strange group of fighters – a mix of young, old, kind, cruel, physically gifted, and mentally gifted – makes enemies and forms alliances almost immediately.
A Manipulated Environment
The games, staged outdoors in a manipulated environment with deadly fog, flash floods, and lightning strikes, mean death to all but one Tribute (the name assigned to those required to fight in the games). Defiant Katniss plans to stay alive just long enough to make sure Peeta survives, while he has pretty much the same plan – only reversed – as he hopes she is the sole survivor.
Much like the first film in the series, though with a different director this time, Hunger Games: Catching Fire has lots of story to tell before the game actually begins. This time, however, the tease seems overly long. In particular, the victory tour establishes and re-establishes growing discontent among the people. The film also takes its time showing viewers why and how the government breeds fear among these same people. It’s a long movie, and by the time the game starts, viewers expect a huge payoff for the wait. Thankfully, they get it. This game delivers unexpected twists, character development, non-stop action, and widespread emotions. Let the Hunger Games continue!
