The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Review

After their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion across the districts of Panem, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark return to the arena to fight against other surviving victors in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.


I just have to start by saying this was a great movie and a pretty decent book to film adaptation. I personally enjoyed it more than The Hunger Games and I found it was a lot closer to the source material. Obviously, there were things left out but a majority of what is in the film was in the book. That was a big breath of fresh air. Especially after The Hunger Games had so much missing and had a lot of new things incorporated into the plot.
Starting off with direction, I think Francis Lawrence did a much better job than Gary Ross. The movie itself had a much better flow and it was a lot smoother than The Hunger Games was. I also think the actors had a lot more purpose than they did before.
As far as acting goes, I thought some people did a better job while some people floundered a bit. I thought Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson were fantastic and much better this time around. I'm not saying they were bad in the first movie, but they were more enjoyable and just better this time around. Jennifer Lawrence was the confusing one for me. She was great in The Hunger Games and had her moments in Catching Fire as well, but I feel like she wasn't really trying during the first half of the movie. I don't know if it was intentional to show how damaged Katniss had become or if she is just one of those actresses that has elements she is good and bad at. It was a bit off. I also want to take the moment to say that I cannot stand Liam Hemsworth. They could have cast a much better actor as Gale. I feel like he was cast based on physical appearance and the fact that his brother is Thor.
Regarding the new characters, I thought a majority of the casting was marvelous. Sam Claflin, Jena Malone, Jeffrey Wright, Amanda Plummer, and Lynn Cohen were such great choices, specifically Malone and Wright. I thought Beetee and Johanna were portrayed beautifully. Sam Claflin surprised me a bit, too. I won't say that his portrayal is exactly how I envisioned Finnick Odair when I read the books, but it wasn't necessarily bad. Another newcomer is Philip Seymour Hoffman who I thought did a great job as Plutarch Heavensbee, the new gamemaker. He was very believable as the character.

Now I want to talk about aspects of the movie that have spoilers, so if you haven't seen Catching Fire yet and/or didn't read the books I encourage you to come back once you have. You don't want it ruined for you.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Final Trailer

We now have the final trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. I think this movie looks better and better whenever something new comes out. I cannot wait.

[EDIT] Check out my review of Catching Fire here.

Catching Fire soundtrack revealed; includes Coldplay, The Lumineers, and Imagine Dragons

The full tracklist for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has been revealed. It contains some pretty interesting choices, in my opinion. Check it out for yourself!

1. Atlas - Coldplay
2. Silhouettes - Of Monsters and Men
3. Elastic Heart - Sia (feat. The Weeknd & Diplo)
4. Lean - The National
5. We Remain - Christina Aguilera
6. Devil May Cry - The Weeknd
7. Who We Are - Imagine Dragons
8. Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Lorde
9. Gale Song - The Lumineers
10. Mirrors - Ellie Goulding
11. Capital Letter - Patti Smith
12. Shooting Arrows at the Sky - Santigold
13. Place for Us - Mikky Ekko
14. Lights - Phantogram
15. Angel on Fire - Antony and the Johnsons

The full soundtrack will be available on November 19th, just a few days ahead of Catching Fire's release on November 22nd.
This album is expected to do very well as the soundtrack for The Hunger Games was the best selling soundtrack for 2012. It was also certified Gold by the RIAA and became the fastest selling soundtrack on iTunes. In addition to a Golden Globe nomination and three Grammy nominations, Taylor Swift's single for the album, "Safe and Sound," won a Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media.

[EDIT] Check out my review of Catching Fire here. 

Catching Fire victors revealed

The marketing for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is starting to heat up as we now have a new viral campaign to reveal our victors. To kick things off we have Katniss and Peeta.

We are supposed to get another victor team tomorrow and probably the next day until all twelve districts are revealed.

#VictorsRevealed

New viral imaging for Catching Fire

The one seriously bugs my eyes out, but these are pretty cool.

Check out my Catching Fire review here.

New character posters for Catching Fire

Well these are just fantastic.

I am getting very excited for Catching Fire.

#CatchingFire #TheHungerGames

Catching Fire panel for Comic-Con announced

There have been some questions about who exactly will attend Comic-Con for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire panel. We now have the answer.

The cast members attending will be Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss), Josh Hutcherson (Peeta), Liam Hemsworth (Gale), Lenny Kravitz (Cinna), Jena Malone (Johanna), Jeffrey Wright (Beetee), and Willow Shields (Primrose). Also set to attend is director Francis Lawrence. Along with the panel there will be a new trailer premiering and many websites are saying immediately after it shows at Comic-Con it will be online to watch as much as you want.

Catching Fire will have the panel in Hall H on Saturday, July 20th. Lionsgate's presentations begin at 1:45pm. The film is in theaters November 22nd.

Catching Fire set for Comic-Con International 2013

[UPDATE] Catching Fire will be in Hall H on Saturday directly after the Warner Bros. and Legendary Presentations at 1:35pm. Here is the schedule for Saturday.

 
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire has been set to appear at Comic-Con International in San Diego. There will be a panel along with a new trailer that will premiere on July 20th. You are able to visit the official Facebook page and submit questions (using the hashtag #CatchingFireComicCon)to be asked to the unannounced cast members that will attend. The panel will be moderated by Fandango correspondent Dave Karger. Catching Fire has been voted on Fandango as the most anticipated movie of 2013. It opens on November 22, 2013.

The powers that be are predicting Lionsgate will be setting up shop in Hall H and that Marvel will be holding panels the same day, so get your tents and sleeping bags ready to go. San Diego Comic-Con International is celebrating their 44th year and will be running from the evening of July 17th to July 21st.

Catching Fire poster shows Katniss on top of the world

Well... actually she is just on top of a mountain.

There is something odd about this poster to me. I don't know if it just doesn't look real or whether it's the fact that they gave Katniss angel wings. In reality I think it just looks a little too retro for the logo and for the film itself. It takes away from the feeling the first poster gave us.

Trailer announcements for Catching Fire and Ender's Game

We received word for some big trailer debuts this week.

The teaser trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is set to be shown before screenings of Iron Man 3 in May. The teaser is already available online as it debuted during the MTV Movie Awards this past weekend, but it's always fun to see trailers on the big screen.

The first trailer for Ender's Game, the adaptation of Orson Scott Card's novel, is set to debut ahead of Star Trek Into Darkness which is also released in May. The film stars Asa Butterfield (Hugo) and Harrison Ford. It is set to open on November 1, 2013.


We also are set to get the first trailer for Thor: The Dark World sometime next week just in time for CinemaCon.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire teaser trailer premieres!

This movie is going to be awesome. It looks great.

New images for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

I squealed a bit.

Catching Fire teaser to premiere at MTV Movie Awards

I guess we should watch the MTV Movie Awards on the 14th so we can see a teaser for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.


I am unsure if this is a teaser of the teaser or the actual teaser, though. The ad is a bit misleading. http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/895458/2013-movie-awards-the-hunger-games-catching-fire-teaser.jhtml#id=1703220

Catching Fire posters for Finnick and President Snow

Finnick looks great.

Catching Fire posters for Peeta and Gail

Peeta kind of looks like an astronaut.

Catching Fire posters for Johanna and Beetee released

These character posters are amazing. Just saying.

New Catching Fire posters for Katniss, Cinna, Haymitch!

I love this.

First look at Elizabeth Banks in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Ladies and gentlemen... Effie is back!

Two new posters for Catching Fire featuring the Victory Tour

I squealed a little bit.

First look at The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Entertainment Weekly's upcoming issue has the first look of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. It includes an interview with Jennifer Lawrence and, judging by the cover, some photos from the film. Check out the cover!

UPDATED: There are now more photos that have been released. =^D