The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

So, your favorite movie critic is back again, with another review of the movie block busters for this holiday season. I went with some friends on this cold November night, to see the second installment of the Hunger Games series. Did it hold up to the first movie, or did it crap out like may sequels have in the past?....well here we go!



The Hunger Games: Catching Fire- The movie does a great job with following the golden rules of a successful sequel, by having all the original actors returning to play their roles. The story follows up right where the first movie left off, with Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson, living their lives after their experiences in the hunger games. You watch them attempt to put things back together and live normally. While, Katniss is hunting, she fires an arrow from her bow, to have a flash back of killing a young man from the previous hunger games. She completely freaks out, as she has what appears to be a panic attack.

Right off the bat, the movie does a great job capturing the human element here, for these characters, and it shows the after effects someone would have enduring the tribulations Katniss and Peeta did. I mean, I think when we watch the first movie, do we really think about what the main characters really went through, mentally? I mean, think about it, you are fighting for your lives... these aren't psychopaths who enjoy killing. There are young people ranging from the ages of 9 to 18, forced into an unimaginable situation, and the only way to come out is to kill. Regardless the movie, does a great job capturing that aspect.

The acting was really well done, such emotion in many scenes, and it makes sense since these poor people are basically, slaves. Katniss now becoming a beacon of hope for the mass of people in the districts... i was always confused why Peeta wasn't also considered one as well, but nonetheless people begin rioting more and more. Donald Sutherland plays the president, and I tell you these Sutherlands can play evil sons of bitches when they want too. If you want to see Donald's son, Kiefer Sutherland, play an evil fucker watch the movie, "Eye for an Eye", and see what I'm talking about... this father and son really know how to make an audience hate a character.

There wasn't as much violence as there was in the original movie, but regardless the fight scenes were still done very well. Hell, the environment was scarier the people fighting in the hunger games, which ranged from poisonous fog, freak lightning, tsunamis, and large flesh eating baboons!

I really enjoyed the film, and yes it was definitely worth the 10 dollars it costs to get into the movie theaters nowadays. It made you cry, laugh, and actually feel sorry for the poor people.... then hate the capital!


Final Verdict 8.5/10- The characters seemed real, with emotion and depth to them, and overall it kept you on the seat of your pants waiting to see how the characters will survive. Plus, each character when on the scene, really seemed to bring something to the table.

Thats it for now, catch me next time when i review the next big one, the second installment of the Hobbit. Until then, this is Phil Goes to the Movies, so you don't have too!