I watched Catching Fire on opening day; here are a few reasons why it was amazing.
The movie stayed true to the book. Although the movie was even more fast paced, it was almost word for word with the book. Only a few events were missing. The emotions and the sequences of events remained untouched.
The emotion of this movie was executed perfectly. The acting was incredible. Jennifer Lawrence probably showed more emotion in this movie than I have in my entire life. The rest of the actors were amazing as well. Somehow, every single actor portrayed their character impeccably. Each character also had a lot of depth, all of them showing layers of their personality. One character that I was particularly interested in was Effie Trinket, because she showed so many conflicting emotions at once. Even though she is ultimately a pawn of Capital, she showed a true and genuine attachment to her District 12 tributes. Another character I loved was Peeta, because he displayed so much love and understanding for Katniss. He played the part so perfectly, showing the giddiness of a crush and a mature love that he held back for Katniss. Finnick was also perfect. Sam Caflin was cast so well; he captured Finnick’s essence perfectly.
I would also add that, on screen, the actors really showed the right amount of emotion in every scene. Nothing was overdone or overlooked. Not only was the acting well done individually, but together as a whole.
The chemistry between the characters was very evident. The cast worked together tremendously and managed perfect harmony on screen. The actors interacted with each other the way the book intended. I think that the cast displayed the complicated relationships between the characters well. And they understood the complexity of each character individually, as well the relationships between characters.
I can’t oversell the acting in this movie. I was emotionally invested in the book and in the movie as well. I teared up at several parts of the movie. I had friends that cried multiple times throughout the film.
I thought this installment of the Hunger Games Trilogy was even better than the first. Whether it was the change in directors, or the addition to the cast, Catching Fire was was a lot better paced, emotionally riveting and ultimately superior to the previous Hunger Games movie. The animations of the arena were as amazing and detailed as always and the game crueler than ever!
The script was also very well written. It allowed for more characters to develop, rather than just the main characters.We got a better understanding of Prim, Gale, Finnick, Johanna and even President Snow. Which ultimately leaves us with more questions about them. And more questions about the cliffhanger ending of Catching Fire, which is why I am so excited for the sequel, Mockingjay, to hit theatres on Nov 21, 2014. Mockingjay will be spilt into two parts, so we will be on our toes for at least two more years awaiting news of the rebellion in Panem.