Catching Fire

Catching Fire

Rated R and Released in Grand Rapids 11/21/13

Reviewed 11/22/13 at Star Theatre

Gary and I

3 1/2 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

Aaron and Danelle

4 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

The first Hunger Games caught the attention of audiences after so many had read the books. This far surpasses our expectation. A more creative adaptation than the first, Gary and I both thought the writing was brilliant. Danelle said she liked how it didn't have as much gory kid violence as the first. While it was long at 146 minutes, this was one of the rare times when I didn't want a lengthy flick to end. Jennifer Lawrence has matured as an actress since the first, but still does well playing the young teen heroine Katniss Everdeen in this second installment. Every actor is worth mentioning; they are all so good.

Champions Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) have to continue playing the boyfriend and girlfriend to fool the totalitarian President Snow (Donald Sutherland) along with the rest of the districts. Their lives and their families' lives depend on the ruse. The two living in oppressed District 12 are in a youthful love triangle, Peeta love-struck with Katniss while Katniss and Gale (Liam Hensworth) have strong affection for each other. It is post 74th games and the novelty of the victory is wearing off, but only for Katniss. Still having the same old problems in District 12 with poverty, hunger, and dominance by the Capital are at the forefront. President Snow wants to keep it that way. Enter Plutarch Heavensbee, played superbly by Philip Seymour Hoffman, the failed Gamemaster's replacement. He convinces the ever suspicious President Snow on how to deal with the districts and squash the rebellion. He also has ideas on how to get the lovebirds back to the games. Since Snow wants to be rid of Katniss he goes along with Plutarch to get this resolved and feels it's too risky to have the other districts looking to brave Katniss for hope. Thank goodness for the special 75th games, called a quarter quell, to solve the problem. All of the previous winners that are still alive have to put their names back in the hat so to speak; basically an All-star lineup. No surprise, Katniss and Peeta are going back once again. Fighting again, to the death, was not on the wish list for Katniss Everdeen.

Escorted by the old team - Flamboyant, Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) and the witty but always drunk Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) - the pair is whizzed via train straight to the Capital. Stanley Tucci (my favorite this time around) plays eccentric Caesar Flickerman, the MC for the games. His commentary during game preparations adds a touch of humor that breaks things up a bit with the rest of the stoic characters. After pre-game activities for the fighters, it's time to begin. The display is streamed live for sadistic and gory entertainment for the Capital residents. But for the remaining districts it is meant as a grim reminder about the past. Their plan to team up with other competitors begins almost immediately for Katniss and Peeta. It takes these two a while though to catch onto what is really transpiring. After a few deaths, their team gets a little broader and they are beginning to figure out the man-made world. She is knocked unconscious, but Katniss is one tough cookie. It's going to take a lot to take her out, but it doesn't take as much to pull one over on her. She wakes us in a Capital hovercraft shuttle whizzing through the skies with a few others on board, including someone very unexpected. This sets up #3. Unbeknownst to her, Katniss was at the center of the master plan for the rebellion. It has begun. Catching Fire was an exhilarating and compelling story so let's hope the next one is just as good. The only disappointment about the movie was the fact we have to wait another year for the next one.

QUIET Rating system: 3 ½ Js

Quality: JJJj

Understood story:  JJJj

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJ