It was when I was scrolling through Tumblr the other day that I realised how much fan satisfaction Catching Fire has attracted. It’s usually very difficult to achieve great reception when doing a movie adaptation of a book, especially one that was such a hit as the novels by Suzanne Collins. However, being a fan of the books myself, I can’t help but have nothing but good things to say about the second movie in the franchise! I will admit that the first movie did not have a great impact on me, partly because I was watching the movie with a very critical eye. That said, the second instalment was the complete opposite. It follows the book to a T, with every little detail from the book showing perfectly on the screen! Unlike most movies which follow the conventions of beginning steadily and then reaching a climax in the middle, Catching Fire begins with action and continues to keep the audience as victims of tension until the very end. Jennifer Lawrence, what a beauty! As it happens, she may as well snag her fair share of Oscars right now, based on that performance! As someone who, in interviews, appears very genuine and funny with a sky-rocketed sense of likeability, Jennifer’s performance as Katniss is nothing short of spectacular. It is also worth mentioning too that performances by Elizabeth Banks and Sam Claflin were, not to sound cliché, definitely flaw-free. The character development of both Effy and Primrose were captured emphatically, and it is possibly the only movie that I can say you do not have to have read the books first to fully appreciate it. Catching Fire has successfully broadened its audience simply because of the huge set of dystopia-themes it has! From overthrowing capitalism, to media and politics to love triangles – it really does cater to any kind of viewer. For all of these reasons, my opinion stands that Catching Fire is the best movie adaptation and if you have not seen it yet, definitely put it at the top of your bucket list.
One of the main reasons why Katniss Everdeen is probably one of the most reverential female characters in cinema history is because of her role as a symbol. She becomes the beginning of a rebellion amongst the districts of Panem, and this is why the Capitol desperately want to destroy her image. It has definitely been argued that this is a parallel to the current societal structure, and some have even said that The Hunger Games is an insight into the future. What’s also interesting is the movie’s exploration of media representation – instead of focusing on the real issue which is the Capitol, the media focus on the relationship of Katniss and Peeta, and gauge the audience’s attention by keeping them distracted about anything happening in the districts.
Finnick Odair. From lad to hero: If you haven’t read Catching Fire, it still becomes clear on screen that Finnick does not give off the best first impression! How he’s portrayed on screen is exactly how he was described in the book, and what makes him an interesting character is the fact that the audience are kept guessing about his intentions. It took the producers a long time to try and cast the role of Finnick and I think their waiting paid off. Mockingjay is the next movie in the sequence, and I can honestly say that Catching Fire was so promising that I cannot help but be really excited for what’s next in store!
Liam Hemsworth plays Katniss’ trusted friend Gale, and you see their relationship progress in the movie, only to have it severed by the Capitol’s evil obsession to destroy everything Katniss loves. There is one scene in the movie that has attracted the most fan attention and it involves Katniss, Peeta, Haymitch and Johanna. It’s filled with awkward humour and did a great job at giving the audience a break from constant tension and anticipation. The movie does not fail to maintain the audience’s attention throughout and the cliff-hanger at the end will leave you wanting more. The best thing about Catching Fire? Definitely the fact that it caters to almost any kind of audience. Everyone that I’ve spoken to about this movie has said that they really enjoyed it and I’ve yet to find someone who didn’t. If I had to, I would say this was the best movie of 2013 for me.
Image sources:
1) http://wallpapersfor.me/the-hunger-games-main-characters/
3) http://25.media.tumblr.com/d5e02cd7a8e81ea49ed658edf850ff65/tumblr_mjbd7okJO51qg8ggio2_r1_500.png
4) http://indulgy.com/post/Um60DoDzF1/liam-hemsworth
Kelly Scanlon