The Hunger Games - Catching Fire (2013): Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson - **1/2

    

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire begins with Katness Everdeen, Jennifer Lawrence, returning home with Peeta Mellark, Josh Hutcherson, fellow tribute, after the 74th Hunger Games.  Only to be summoned to participate in a Victory Tour to keep the people in check and by providing the Districts with hope.  Both do not want to participate in the tour nor have anything to do with one another.  President Snow, heavy handily, forces these two to present themselves as lovebirds on the tour creating a love affair for the masses to reflect upon.  On the tour, both sense a foreboding of rebellion simmering in the District of Panem.  President Snow, Donald Sutherland, along with Plutarch Heavensbee, Philip Seymour Hoffman ruthlessly mastermind the 75th Annual Hunger Games in which  all the previous coupled winners will compete against each other.   Thus, engaging the masses on the upcoming games versus focusing on their gloomy lives in the districts. 



    Catching Fire is a pure fantastical science fiction entertainment with a Twilightesq vibe that sets the stage for the second film installment of The Hunger Games.  The words Hunger Games aptly fits the visual effects of the 13 districts with a visual juxtaposition of The Capital where the people are rich, overly dressed in vibrant hues and trussed up in abundance.  The people of the Capital thrive on the Hunger Games thrill, similar to the Romans reveling in the Coliseum games during the Roman Empire.  Effie Trinkit, Elizabeth Banks and Caesar Flickerman, Stanley Tucci, are over the top in eccentric attire Sutherland, Hoffman, Hemsworth and Harrelson's characters are also quite enchanting in a twisted light creating a sensation on screen. Banks eyelashes with butterflies are wickedly fun. 


A perfectly fine action packed film, witty dialogue that is meant to delight those that have read The Hunger Games trilogy and those who have not. The film is dark, thrilling and plays upon themes of good, evil and the strength of the human condition when everything goes array.  In other words, the masses can be kept in their corner for only so long struggling to survive before an uprising occurs.  Not Oscar bound or the best movie of the year.  However, for theatre going fans - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire fits the bill.