The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Not sure what you mean by "without missing anything", but what about all that excellent character development in Catching Fire, as well as a ton of world building, sociopolitical intrigue, and the introduction of multiple new characters that are important to the story? The arena stuff isn't the main focus of the second book by a long shot, and say...I notice you say "pretty sure Katniss and the victors from previous hunger games etc..."

Have you even read the book, or are you in this thread not only trashing the story, but recommending people not see the film when you have neither seen the film nor read the source material?

I am pretty sure that means you are talking out your ass. Also, I would ask that you take a minute to wrap major plot points for newly released films in spoiler tags, as some folks may not want their experience ruined by careless mudslinging.

Thanks!

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It’s been a while but, yes, I have read the book and I’m pretty sure there isn’t much plot progression in Catching Fire.

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Also, just for those who are curious.

Rotten Tomatoes gives Catching Fire 89% with an audience rating of 94% while the original go 84% with an audience rating of 81%

I don't hate it but Catching Fire seems too much like a 400 page setup for the finale rather than a book that can stand on it's own.


Maybe I'm being too hard on CF since the second installment in a trilogy is usually set up for book 3 but even so it felt like too much of a rehash for me.

I just can't agree.

Catching Fire contains very little filler, and contains a ton of plot development and world building - they flesh out the fascist society a whole lot more, add the intrigue with Plutarch into the mix, expand on Snow's character, Effie becomes more than a cardboard cutout reading names from a fishbowl, and they actually take the time to develop some of the other tributes into characters we care about - something that is impossible to say about the first, with the exception of Rue.

Your complaints are more fitting for the first film. You say everything takes a back seat to the games, but very little time is actually spent on the games themselves in Catching Fire, while the games are clearly the main focus of the first book and film. Most of the content in Catching Fire takes place outside the arena, and in the film I saw last night, the games are tacked on at the end and last perhaps 20 minutes total - a small portion of the 2.5 hour run time.

Remember, the books are written in first person, so perhaps you can explain how one would get a comprehensive view of the district uprising (which requires a God's-eye perspective to pull off), when the reader is placed in the shoes of one character in the story, perceiving things as she does? We know what she knows, and her limited knowledge of events is crucial to moving the story along, and pulling off the twists that come along. The events you state happen in the last chapters don't just happen in the last chapters - they are happening all along - for instance Haymitch working against the capital. How else could that have been handled? We learn about it when Katniss finds out; that is how first person perspective works, and it can't work any other way or it becomes third person.

I was a bit sad to see that they cut out the revelation about Haymitch's Hunger Game (and subsequent backlash). That was one of my favorite bits of the novel.

Still, it proved to be a very good film in the same ballpark of quality of the first. I was certainly pleased with it.

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In book 1 the Games taking center stage made sense; at that point none of the Districts were uprising and the main event in Panem were the Games themselves.

I agree that part of the problem is that the books are told in first person but the first third or so of CF and most of Mockingjay fills Katniss and the reader in about what's going on in the other parts of Panem via TV reports and visits from Snow, Haymtich, and various other characters. After the first third of Catching Fire

Most, if not all of the important stuff is reiterated in Mockingjay so Catching Fire comes off as having too much buildup and not enough resolution to justify going on for 400 pages to me.

Still, you've convinced me to give the book another shot. Next time I stop by the library I'll check it out if it's available but with the movie out there's probably a long waiting list

Looking at this thread I'm kinda glad I didn't read the books as it would've diluted my experience. Catching Fire works as a movie, it didn't feel like filler to a me (a movie goer who watched the first movie). It felt like a well told and dynamic story that segues quite well into the future sequels.

I think I am going to watch both of these this afternoon. I will post full reviews when I finish.

"Catching Fire" is perhaps the movie that I was most anxious to watch this year! I watched it last week and it was incredible! The movie was so faithful to the book (those of you who already read the book will know that I am telling the truth when I say that there are a lot of moments in which every single word speaked by the characters are pretty equal to the movie!

Jeniffer Lawrence's performance was spectacular. The scene of the reaping is jarring: She beseeches and fight against Thresh in order to say good-bye.

DO NOT READ THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH IF YOU STILL WILL WATCH THE MOVIE, IT CONTAINS CRUCIAL SPOILERS!

The final moments of the movie was amazing! The scene in which she explods the force field in the arena, followed by Snow's reaction and the Gamemakers saying that "We are losing force" are extraordinary! And Jeniffer Lawrence's face at the end of the movie was just "OMG, How far Capitol may go to destroy and attack me and the Districts"!

Summarizing, the film was better than I expect! I definitely recommend that you guys watch it!

My reviews are up in my review thread. Say what you will. I liked them both!
and respectively.

I was definitely in the eye-rolling mode when my wife wanted to see it, but it was pretty good. You can't look too closely at the many non-sensical aspects of the plot, like how with all that hi-tech, they still need coal miners or how Snow is so clueless that he doesn't realize that he can probably stay in control by just giving the underclass a few bones to keep them oppressed. I also thought that they spent too much time on the game, since, considering that Katniss will make it to movie 3, we already know how the game is going to turn out. Nevertheless, it was visually enjoyable and well acted, and kept moving fast enough that I want to see number 3.

hell yea!!!

Just watched it today.. and its really good. I didn't like the ending, but apart from that its a solid film. The first half before the actual games begun was really riveting. These movies are on a whole different level to the Twilight and Harry Potter nonsense. So much more substance.

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I will watch movie tomorrow,I hope it will be better than first one,first one was as many guys already said mediocre,nothing special,it had 0 story,this is story of first part -people are poor,there is city for rich people they have games like battle royal,they all kill each other,you know who will stay alive from start of the movie and they do stay alive...By the look of trailer it looks like second one will have more story development and that characters will develop,you know what is main thing I remember from first part? That guy was named Pita(pie in my language) so had a laugh with my friends in some scenes like "I love you Pita" etc ...So yea I want it to be good,we will see tomorrow...

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To call this film an improvement over the original is an understatement. The direction is way better, the political satire and intrigue is much more compelling, and the film is very well-paced for the most part. It's got flaws,such as the PG-13 rating restricting the film's material, but this is a very enjoyable blockbuster.

I just caught it a couple nights ago. I thought Catching Fire is the superior film out of the first 2. Usually don't like cliffhangers but they left at a really good spot (went in knowing there would be one). Felt like one complete stand alone movie, which is usually not the case when you do multiple movies at the same time.

The characters felt more fleshed out, the conflict between the Capital an the districts was in far better detail. I liked all the new characters they introduced too. I liked the first one but it didn't make me want to run out and catch the 2nd one as soon as it came out. This however has me very intrigued in the 3rd and 4th ones. Might catch it relatively shortly after it comes out in theaters this year. It's on my radar now.

And as always JLaw is strong as ever. She never disappoints me.

4/5

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Well I was wrong! Just watched it and thought it was a big improvement in every department. No stupid holo dogs that appear out of nowhere!

8/10

Actually looking forward to the finale now. Shame Philip Seymour Hoffman won't be around to finish it. For the short time he's in the movie he just oozes class and lends credability to the film. Guess the only option is to replace him with another actor.

The actual arena stuff was much better this time despite being quite brief, and we actually had some characters in there as opposed to generic cannon fodder.

Faith in franchise officially redeemed.

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^ They filmed most of his role in the next films and they are going to use a CGI Hoffman for a few scenes they didn't get to finish.