The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Film Review

*CAUTION: This contains a variety of spoilers for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. People that wish to see it but haven't already shouldn't read ahead if they do not want to spoil it.*

Its safe to say anticipation has been building up for the adaptation of the second book in the Hunger Games franchise.

The advertising campaign has certainly been relentless, with the bow, arrow and face of heroine Katinss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) poking out of buses, giant billboards, television commercials, online advert spaces and baffling promo tie-ins with Subway sandwiches for most of the last few weeks. But this has spun the brand recognition following the huge success that was the original movie, which has given the original a franchise to build on.

The first film was slightly toned down from the relentlessly brutal novel about a future North American nation called Panem, where the kids from its 12 districts are sent into an arena to fight until the death, and for their rulers' amusement in the titular Hunger Games. But it was still a gripping and unsettling piece of film that delivered a superb adaptation of the book.

Three Hunger Games books were written by Suzanne Collins, and the cast involved in this project are already making preparations to film the first part of final level Mockingjay, which will see the film released in exactly one year's time.

But to get there of course, this is the important step towards there. We begin this a few months after the end of the original Hunger Games film, which sees Katinss and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) back home in District 12 after surviving the Games in the first film.

They only survived by pulling a trick with nightlock berries and taking advantage of a soft touch game controller that refused to allow them both to die. But although the citizens of the Capitol enjoyed the show, the Capitol's leaders did not so much - no previous Hunger Games has ended with twin victors, and this defiance of the rules of the games has inspired dissatisfied revolutionaries in the districts of Panem.

President Snow of the Capitol (Donald Sutherland) personally visits Katniss to inform her that this cannot lead to revolution and civil war, and so she and Peeta must convince him that they actually are lovers rather than using it as a skit to win the games.

The aim to convince has been faltered by a loss of contact between the two victors, while Katniss seems torn between her fellow victory Peeta and her best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth). This film certainly gives more light on the "Gale or Peeta" debate fans of the first film seemed to dementedly chew over, which is a change given that the first film given that it - by and large - opted to overlook it for the most part.

Like the first film, the opening few scenes are in the forest with Katniss and Gale. But the thematic shift is indicated from the off, with the scenes in the eerily impressive frost and snow.

The frostiness between Katniss and Peeta has to be shoved aside because, as previously noted, President Snow wants them to convince as lovers and the avenue for this is on the Victory Tour, where they have to go for a parade around the nation. This tour gives an immediate insight to the problem, as an off-key speech leads to executions and a full blown riot after the District 11 natives attempted to show solidarity with the victors.

It all leads to a staged-marriage - if you're going to be in a stage marriage for life, might as well start now - and then a full-blown parade at the President's Mansion, with an opulent feast and vomiting drinks to clear full stomachs - something that disgusts natives of the malnourished District 12.

Following on from this, Snow is unconvinced by their love. With fights and riots ensuing, the devious Snow and his new right-hand man Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) decide to make Katniss' life a misery. Increased suppression of the natives sees Gale getting a heavy lashing from the new Peacekeeper's whips, which leaves Katniss' attempt to be a hero ending in a lash across the cheek and on a final warning.

And all this before the nightmare to follow. Unlike the conventional competition, the 75th Hunger Games will be a super-Hunger Games where existing victors will be sent in. This means Katinss is given a guaranteed return to the venue, and so to is Peeta, who volunteers ahead of their mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrelson).

This leads to a reprise of the first movie's build-up, including the ever perky Ceaser Flickermann (Stanley Tucci) and the impressive stylings of Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), who meets an unjust end for his revolutionary fashions.

Cinna's assault and (almost certain) death doesn't help Katinss' state of mind given its the last thing before she is chucked into the lake that forms the basis of the new jungle arena.

Katniss is certainly an intriguingly complex character. Like in the books, there's a myriad of layers to her character, interchanging confidence, survivalism, protector of her family, complete wreck, vengeful and fearful. This is as much the strength of the novel that it has a compellingly unpredictable protagonist. Its equally impressive that, in Lawrence, the film makers have found an actress capable of conveying these emotions - sometimes even simultaneously.

As well as Lawrence, the first film was aided by a wide-ranging cast that provided the nuts and bolts to the story. The majority remain here, for good measure. Haymitch and Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) again do well in a sort of good cop-bad cop routine as Katinss and Peeta's mentors, while a whirlwind of additional tributes are given room to shine. Leading this are new allies Finnick (Sam Claffin) and Johanna (Jena Malone), who give hint at potential for the enlarged role they are likely to receive in the next film.

Just like the first, it also plays into a range of themes. The first book came from the conundrum of the blurring between war and entertainment on media, the motive of entertainment as a distraction from the humdrum of modern society and the elevation of reality TV stars in the global consciousness. Couple this to the dystopia themes of totalitarianism, suppression and deprivation, and attempts to extinguish the spark of a potential revolution, it continues a uniquely apocalyptic piece that neatly flows and sticks together.

Yet despite its wealth of cast members and themes, it seems determined to show off all of them, and as a result of this the film feels a lot longer than the first one, even accounting for the additional 15 minutes of running time. The novel version of Catching Fire was dominated by a slow burn, which gradually shifted through the gears to an almighty series of fizzes and bangs at the end. Although it retains the key beats of the book and the dark atmosphere, the dark build-up contributes to the feeling of a slower narrative.

Nevertheless, it retains the first book where it is to expand the narrative. These skits give Snow most of his airtime, and also contribute to a few additional joining the dots that the first-person style of the book doesn't fill in.

It runs at times concurrent with when they are thrown in the deep end into the arena, full of mutant monkeys, blood rain, poisonous fog, tidal waves, lightning trees and - of course - Career tributes that want them dead.

Following the navigation of this is a series of revelations that point to a surprise climax and a suspense moment that sets up the finely balanced equilibrium for the final part.

Its not quite the short sharp series of shocks that fuelled the first film but as a continuation, it is a good continuation of that debut and a fine adaptation of the second novel in its own right. It certainly sets up the narrative for the third and final book.

So... same time next year?

4/5