Back in March 2012, when I went to go see The Hunger Games, I was in the theater
first-and-foremost as a fan of Suzanne Collins novel, but for Catching Fire, my attendance was
equally, if not more so, influenced by the fact that I utterly adore Jennifer
Lawrence. The talented young actress was
just rising to mainstream popularity during her first turn as Katniss Everdeen,
but this time around, Lawrence would be returning to the arena as an unquestioned
A-lister, one sure to draw a crowd beyond the expected literary fans. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely still had
high expectations for this adaptation of what is widely-considered the
strongest entry in The Hunger Games
book trilogy, and by all indicators, Lionsgate was prepared for this release to
be a cinematic event. With everything
from Subway combo cups to specially-tailored viral marketing websites featuring
the newest tributes of Panem, awareness and anticipation for Catching Fire was reaching a fever
pitch. If the original Hunger Games broke box office records
when Lawrence wasn’t on the cover of magazines, was there really anything that
could stop Lionsgate’s newest cash cow from battling for the title of biggest
movie of 2013?
Surprise, surprise…Catching Fire represents a remarkably capable film, one which is
bolstered by strong performances and gripping visuals; however, I cannot
overlook the fact that the film does falter in a few key areas. Jennifer Lawrence deftly embodies the role of
the embattled heroine once again, but I did find some of the more dramatic
elements of her performance lacking when compared to her previous displays of
talent. It was enjoyable to see the
familiar faces return, but the scene stealers were the new additions to the
cast, with the main standout being Jena Malone as the irreverent Johanna Mason. Still, in comparing Catching Fire to the original Hunger
Games, I just didn’t feel the same levels of awe or immersion, a weakness
that combines with uneven pacing to lay significant blame at the feet of
director Francis Lawrence. In the end,
though it wasn’t able to capture the same level of magic as its predecessor, Catching Fire will still please hardcore
fans and anyone looking for an exciting science fiction adventure.
Overall
Recommendation: High
