‘Catching Fire’ burns away sophomores’ expectations

Warning: Spoilers for “The Hunger Games,” “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay” follow.

Before the 75th Hunger Games began, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), the District 12 mentor, remarks, “I think these games are going to be different.” The same can be said in comparing the movie adaptation of “Catching Fire”, the second book of Suzanne Collins’s international bestselling trilogy, to its predecessor, “The Hunger Games”. Crammed with riveting scenes filmed with a non-shaky camera, “Catching Fire” wows the audience with its spectular storytelling.

Warning: Spoilers for “The Hunger Games,” “Catching Fire” and “Mockingjay” follow.

The storyline of “Catching Fire” follows protagonist Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) after she and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) win the Hunger Games, an annual competition in which 24 tributes must fight to the death until one victor remains.

The year before, Katniss and Peeta survived by threatening to commit suicide together rather than kill each other, but their public defiance of the oppressive regime sparked protests against the Capitol, the ruling government. As a result, President Snow wants to eliminate Katniss, the symbol of the rebellion.

The film succeeds both in establishing important scenes and rounding out the story’s villains by emphasizing their humanity. For example, the onerous personality of antagonist President Snow (Donald Suterland) is countered with scenes that showcase his relationship with his granddaughter (Erika Bierman).

At the same time, Snow’s ruthlessness is also emphasized as the movie strongly implies that he uses poison to kill enemies, a plot point that Collins does not introduce into until the final novel in the original series.

The movie also differentiates itself from movies where the audience merely watches the film. When we were watching the movie, the audience cheered with growing exhilaration more than a couple of times. Towards the end of the movie, when Katniss shattered dome enclosing the tributes, the audience shouted with euphoria as if the rebellion has been brought to life in the very theatre. One person even yelled out in Spanish.

Another major plus was the movie’s incredible faithfulness to the novel. Little details, from fellow tribute Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) offering a sugar cube to Katniss to Johanna Mason (Jena Malone) stripping in the elevator, enhance the experience for watchers who remember plot details from reading the books.

Inevitably, the moviemakers must cut certain scenes, and Madge, the mayor’s daughter and Katniss and Gale’s friend, never makes an appearance in the movie. However, because Madge was not an important part of novels, this has little impact on the overall film.

As in the previous installment, President Snow and the current Head Gamemaker, Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) are heavily featured. The two frequently discuss inhumane strategies for quelling unrest in the districts, and their power over those in the arena is highlighted as they manipulate geography at will. Of course, considering the ending of the movie, it is ironic that Snow and Plutarch believe they wield ultimate control over the Games.

Also, even though much of the book’s power lies in its ability to communicate Katniss’s thoughts, the movie, too, effectively conveys Katniss’s emotions through Lawrence’s superb acting.

Near the end of the movie, Katniss’s hesitation to shoot her ally Finnick, revealed by her quivering hands and long delay in releasing her arrow, illustrate her moral qualms with murdering someone who saved her lover Peeta’s life. In the final sequence, after Katniss is lifted up from the game arena, the camera zooms into Katniss’s eyes, and the moviegoer can at once become privy to Katniss’s despair and resilience.

Of course, like any movie, “Catching Fire” is not without its flaws. For example, Katniss’s quiver must have been sprinkled with magical pink fairy dust, because even though Katniss never retrieves her arrows after shooting, it is always full.

In addition, although Katniss is supposed to be 17 years old, actress Jennifer Lawrence is 23 and looks a little too mature for her part. Lawrence is also noticeably taller than Hutcherson, leading to awkward camera pans that move up to show Lawrence’s head.

Despite these minor issues, “Catching Fire” is a great film that is a diversion from studying for finals. A huge improvement from the previous movie, “Catching Fire” exceeds expectations with phenomenal acting, accuracy and more.