The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Review
RYAN: I am so excited abut this movie; I can’t have loved it more! Seriously, right now I’m obsessed with The Hunger Games. I loved the books and you didn’t read them so we can each give respective reactions to the adaptation. I just wanted it to keep going. When this movie ended, I could have easily sat there for another five hours, going right into the last book, Mocking Jay Parts 1 and 2.
CHUCK: I completely agree. A lot of people might look at this running time of two and a half hours and think it’s too long but it could have been another hour longer and I still would have easily enjoyed it. Having not read the books, I was so shocked and surprised by the story in this sequel.
RYAN: The plot is fantastic and that’s the same reaction as when you read the book – you’re appalled and frustrated and roused and totally hooked! The story takes nightmarish turns and goes for the dramatic jugular. And the direction here keeps you on the edge of your seat.
CHUCK: And there are some underlying subplots, without giving any spoilers, that make you think, “Oh my God what’s going on here?!” There’s definitely a conspiracy theme but you are really in the dark for most of it. It’s fantastic.
RYAN: One thing we can talk about which began in the first film is the love triangle. It’s one of my favorite love triangles in literature and on screen because it’s so complicated and their love all hinges on life or death situations. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth – all well cast and they have perfect chemistry.
CHUCK: But you definitely feel like you’re rooting for one side over the other.
RYAN: Team Gale and Team Peeta. Whose team are you on?
CHUCK: Peeta’s.
RYAN: Me too. But I also love Josh Hutcherson. I’ve interviewed him twice. He couldn’t be nicer and he has two g’uncles.
CHUCK: (laughs) Fair enough. Teenagers across the world are swooning.
RYAN: Oh my niece is obsessed with him. This is Jenny Lawrence’s first major film since winning the Oscar for best actress in Silver Linings Playbook and she’s so great in this movie. I love her. She came out strong in Hollywood with WInter’s Bone and even though she’s in a major franchise here, she brings so much depth and heart to it and really grounds the entire movie which rides mostly on her shoulders.
CHUCK: She really does. It’s not a waltz-through performance. Katniss is so complex and deep and layered. She’s one moment a tough, hardened woman and the next, she breaks your heart. Not many actresses can do that, looking as beautiful as she is in this film.
RYAN: Oh, especially in the more opulent costumes and makeup moments. There’s major pumped-up glam in this movie, even in comparison to the first, everything is taken to the next level in the production value. I love the capitol scenes – I remember saying this for the first film but here again, it looks like the Emerald City in Broadway’s WIcked.
CHUCK: It’s ridiculous. Totally. The design is incredible. I mean Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket?!
RYAN: She’s like a young Madame Morrible.
CHUCK: (laughs) Yes. The costumes are to die for. She must have spent as much time in wardrobe and makeup as others with crazy prosthetics.
RYAN: And Stanley Tucci is also craymazing in his role.. He’s so funny.
CHUCK: You love to hate him as that smarmy TV personality.
RYAN: And having read the books, Donald Sutherland is really one of the best cast as President Snow. He’s despicable.
CHUCK: And Philip Seymor Hoffman. I wondered whether the film would be as good without this caliber of cast.
RYAN: It wouldn’t be. Unlike Twilight, The Hunger Games takes a page from Harry Potter in casting well-known and respected actors in the adult roles. And among the young newcomers, the most noteworthy are Sam Claflin as Finnick and Jena Malone as Johanna. I was originally disappointed in the casting of Finnick because in the book, I imagined him so much more built and buff; but Sam nailed it. He makes FInnick perfectly charming and he won me over.
CHUCK: He was fantastic. He looked kind of photoshopped.
RYAN: That’s Finnick. And Jena – whoa! I’ve loved her since she played young Jodie Foster in Contact, one of my favorite movies. I didn’t know she could play this type of character – she was brilliant as Johanna – flirty and sexy, mysterious and tough. She’s a scene stealer.
CHUCK: She did spark up the screen.
RYAN: Often in a trilogy, the second installment is looked at as a transitional movie but this is really such a great film on its own. The cliffhanger is so strong – I just can’t wait for the final two. In the words of the ever-irracible Veruca Salt, “I want it now!”
