My biggest gripe with the first film was although Suzanne Collins wrote an amazingly awesome first book The Hunger Games, her skills as a screenwriter left much to be desired. I've reviewed both the book and the movie. Catching Fire was a whole other beast. I didn't write a review on the book, but I definitely did not enjoy it HALF as much as the first. The first book I could NOT wait to read, the second I couldn't wait to finish, the third I STILL haven't finished after 2 years.
The biggest HURRAY of this movie over the first: emotion. I felt more conflicted about whom Katnip (Gale's nickname for Katniss) should be with. Yes Liam Hemsworth as Gale is tall and hunky with his supple lips and insane bubble butt, but Josh Hutcherson as Peeta is JUST as appealing; he maybe 5'8 on a good day with a lil baby fat, but he will KILL for her. MY GOD and those lips. I felt so dirty, but I wanted to just kiss him LOL sorry back to the storyline.
Katniss and Peeta have survived the Hunger Games and must do a Victor's Tour between all 12 districts. As they start from District 12 working their way up to District 1 more and more people in the Districts feel Katniss is their hope against the system. Her holding poison berries (not snozzberries) to her mouth along with Peeta tells them "Someone is here to fight the system. I am hope." Three fingers held in the air with a certain whistle isn't for Boy Scout pledge, but represents Katniss' rebellious father whom wanted to rise above the Capitol in the first movie prior to his death. Problem is if Katniss acknowledges the 3 finger salute she inspires more and more ire from her new enemy President Snow (the leader of Panem), whom is plotting with new Gamemaker Plutarch to kill Katniss. If you read the book you know the twist so I won't give it away, but Jennifer Lawrence is my God.
Not only did she win an Oscar, but she proves in EVERY scene why. Some actresses (I'm talking to you Nicole Kidman) win an Oscar and I wonder "How the hell did that happen?" Jennifer in EVERY scene IS Katniss Everdeen FROM District 12 TIRED of the politics in the Panem. Her back and forth with Gale and Peeta is not only logical and believable she makes you FEEL her struggle. She is the Jodie Foster of our generation and WILL win another Oscar in her lifetime.
Josh Hutcherson is nuanced as Peeta (I wants ON DEM LIPS); Liam Hemsworth is steady and stable as Gale (his American accent is sexier than his Australian); Woody Harrelson is FINALLY LIKEABLE as Haymitch (his character in the first movie was unsympathetic; he's more of a father figure in this); Elizabeth Banks is refreshing as Effie (which ironically enough is my aunt's name; Aunt Effie lives in Las Vegas); Donald Sutherland is C for Creepy as President Snow (I always find it odd when an adult threatens a teen); Sam Claflin is miscast as Finnick Odair (in the book my version of Finnick was more Alan Ritchson whom plays Gloss), but he still did a good job; Jena Malone is brilliant as Johanna (loved her character in the books as well); Amanda Plummer is EVERYTHING as Wiress (I just saw her episode of "Law & Order: SVU where she plays schizophrenic raped and THEN saw her as Wiress I mean how perfectly cast is she?); and Willow Shields is heartbreaking as Primrose. But lemme tell you EVERY SINGLE TIME I saw Rue's face onscreen I cried. Rue was my FAVE character in the first, and the way Katniss treated her as well as her death just cut me deep. The actress who played Rue needs her own Oscar cuz she gave me LIFE!
Without a doubt I'm giving this movie 5 stars without question maybe even 10.