Review of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) by John S — 25 Nov 2014

While the first one was quite good (especially the acting), this second installment in the Hunger Games Trilogy is even better. The only problem I had with this movie is that it starts off a bit slow with a few scenes of occasional hammy acting.

However, this is only a minor complaint. The movie quickly picks up the pace and never lets up until the ending credits start rolling. The acting is still very good overall. I was more intrigued by the story here, compared to the first one, because there's more at stake for all the characters, especially the lead (played again by Jennifer Lawrence) who has now become a symbol for hope and rebellion for all the districts.

One year after the first movie, the hunger games begin again, but this time, viewers are given a few genuine reasons to root for the characters. Not only are these characters thrown into a situation which is completely unfair, but now these characters stand for something tremendous and symbolize the hope of the people.

And the best part is, now that we realize how important it is that these characters survive, the movie keeps you in suspense (a very effective suspense), and you're never really sure if they WILL survive because the odds are certainly not forever in their favor.

Overall, the movie is very entertaining, and it has me excited for the third one.