In a world where sequels can be a dreadful afterthought, Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” was able to get it right. Going into “Catching Fire,” I was a little nervous since a lot of movies adapted from books have a hard time doing the story justice. “Catching Fire” was able to accurately capture Collins’ vision for Panem, the fictitious future of North America, and the horrors that occur there.

AN ACCURATE AND COMPELLING SEQUAL

Francis Lawrence, director of “I Am Legend” and “Water for Elephants,” stepped in as the director for the second part in the series, and he is set to direct the remaining two films as well. He did a phenomenal job, navigating tension and building suspense in a way that was able to keep the audience in their seats for the entire two hours and 26 minutes.

The story begins with the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) living in the Victor’s Village of District 12 after winning the last Hunger Games.

After the trauma of their time in the arena, Katniss and Peeta are living an empty life, trying to enjoy their fake relationship and their newfound wealth in their hometown, the people of which are still being heavily oppressed.

The last Games ended when Peeta and Katniss decided to not give into the Capitol’s desire for them to kill each other and they threatened to simultaneously eat poisonous nightlock berries; however, the Gamemaker stopped them in their tracks. The districts interpreted that moment of opposition as the spark of insurgency and are now in an uproar against the Capitol’s oppression.

President Snow (Donald Sutherland) believes that Katniss is the problem and if he can’t use her and her ‘love’ with Peeta to convince the districts that she is not the mascot of rebellion, then he must kill her. It proves to be difficult since all of Panem is obsessed with her and Peeta’s whirlwind romance. Snow decides to throw her into a second Hunger Games, by means of the “Quarter Quell” in hopes that she will die in the arena.

FILM SUITED FOR FANS OF THE BOOK 

The entire film is dark, giving off a feeling of a rebellious spirit masked by hopelessness. As much as Katniss and the districts want to rise up against the Capitol, you can tell at this point they do not know how. They are still subjected to torture, starvation, curfews and of course, gladiator-like situations in an arena.

Yet, as the tributes band together in the Games, they focus their attention on “who the real enemy is.” As the director, Francis Lawrence sets up the next movie in the series well as Katniss becomes the mockingjay, or the symbol of hope for the uprising in Panem.

”Catching Fire” was a remarkably accurate transmission of the book. There was no integrity or large plot points lost in the transition from page to screen. While I commend the crew for that accomplishment, I also have to say it took too long for the action to begin. The Quarter Quell did not even begin until an hour and a half into the movie. Don’t get me wrong, the crew did a good job, but I think for the sake of time, they could have been a little bit more vigorous in the cutting room. That is my only real complaint, though. Other than that, the acting was phenomenal, including the performances of Stanley Tucci and Woody Harrelson, and the movie itself was action-packed, emotion-provoking and a gem for “Hunger Games” fans.