The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013), PG-13, 3.5 stars

Katniss and Peeta on their Victory Tour with Effie.

Let's go back to the first movie. I thought that the first Hunger Games movie was pretty confident and convincing and true to the book. But, despite the good level of excitement, it was the direction of Gary Ross that truly hurt the movie a little. This movie produces more excitement and vulnerability from Katniss Everdeen after the 74th Hunger Games. There is some havoc going on in the political world right now as President Snow controls every district as inhumanly as possible.

The movie starts with Katniss and Gale (Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth) hunting down a couple of turkeys. As she kills that one turkey, Katniss imagines that it was another person from the previous Hunger Games. She is traumatized and haunted by the events of the last games. After that freak-out, she and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) are set to go on the Victory Tour around Panem to visit each of the districts. Gale is still uncomfortable with the romantic act between Peeta and Katniss, but Katniss tells him that she had to do it and they both kiss displaying their supposedly real love.

Katniss lives in the Victor Village with Prim (Willow Shields) and her mother. They have a visitor and the visitor is President Snow (Donald Sutherland). He explains that she defied the Capitol rules by allowing the previous gamekeeper to let both Peeta and Katniss survive. He explains that she inspired rebellions in districts and threatens her to pretend to be in love with Peeta or else, her family and Gale will be killed.

During their first stop of the Victory Tour in District 11, both Katniss and Peeta do not follow Effie's (Elizabeth Banks) and Haymitch's (Woody Harrelson) scripts as Katniss is bothered by her fellow ally's, Rue's, death in the previous games. As one man starts to raise up his three-finger salute for District 12, the Peacekeepers shoot him dead. Therefore, both Katniss and Peeta have to follow the routine to disappoint each district with their "inspiring" speeches.

After Gale's punishment at District 12, President Snow addresses Panem about the upcoming 75th Hunger Games where every 25 years, there is a Quarter Quell. He address a new rule to the upcoming  games that every contestant from the past will be reaped from the pool of victors. This enrages Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta. Haymitch says that the Games will be different since Peeta and Katniss are now political targets. Although Haymitch promises a deal to allow Peeta to be safe and not participate in the Hunger Games, Peeta volunteers and both him and Katniss are in the Games again. Haymitch addresses that they have to make allies to survive in the Games. What is going to happen now?

Donald Sutherland as Snow and Philip Seymour Hoffman as Plutarch, the gameskeeper.

This movie is full of adrenaline and excitement. The excitement is mostly overshadowed by the dark themes of political ruin and dystopia as to how the President and the government is ruining Panem after the controversial finish to the previous Hunger Games. The vulnerability from Katniss is really raised as she and Peeta witnesses every unexplained harm to some of the districts and district's members. She says that she does not inspire the people from other districts. Therefore, Snow is really a cunning, evil president to allow such harm in each district.

Jennifer Lawrence really embodies Katniss Everdeen as she is full of strength, hope, agility, and vulnerability. You follow her every instinct and move as she is trying to get everything Panem back to normal. Josh Hutcherson is still relevant and true to his character. Their chemistry is deeper than the first movie. Donald Sutherland and Philip Seymour Hoffman are delivering pretty good villainous performances, but they are true professionals. I mean, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Lenny Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Sam Claflin and Jena Malone are all really good, especially Liam Hemsworth. Ok, this evens up with Paranoia. I'll forgive him for that. It would be awesome to see Stanley Tucci as a game show host and hear him say, "You have just won a NEW CAR!" Tucci as Caesar is just so entertaining to watch.

It is almost a great movie because of some minor details that are wrong or inexplicable. There are a few dialogue issues that are mis-timed such as dialogue about a baby or dialogue about killing people. Sometimes, the screenplay is taken a little too far and I just wanted to enjoy the visual excitement. I am a little surprised that this movie is less tame than the first one, because we do not see a lot of physical violence on-screen during the Games.

But, Jennifer Lawrence is really committed to her character and Francis Lawrence, the director, does a much better job allowing the cast and visuals to present themselves, and not let his style get in the way like Gary Ross' camera movements in the first one. And, also the exploration to the political themes is better than the first one. This is an engaging and intelligent second installment to the series that ends with a chilling cliff-hanger. I can't wait now for the next one. Bring it on, Mockingjay.

***1/2