The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

After navigating through traffic for what felt like hours and consequently, having to sit on the edge of the movie theatre's seats, I finally had the chance to watch the anticipated sequel to The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire which came out November 22nd, 2013. The storyline follows Katniss Everdeen as she is targeted by the Capitol for her actions in the previous Games. She, along with other past tributes, are once again thrown back into the arena for another round to celebrate the Quarter Quell, as it was the 75th anniversary of the Hunger Games. The 2 hours and 26 minutes spent went by extremely quickly, making the movie feel like it was literally only 10 minutes and of course, leaving viewers craving for more. Though it was definitely one of the best sequels so far, there were some moments that didn't hit home. Be warned - there are some spoilers!

1. Johanna Mason's Interview: In her interview with Caesar Flickerman, Johanna Mason starts swearing against the Capitol; showing her anger against the decision to bring back past tributes into the Hunger Games once again. This action completely brought me back to reality because I felt that swearing would be a thing of the past in the futuristic era of the Capitol. It is possible, though. that directors decided to use this unexpected act, as drastic swearing isn't seen anywhere else in both movies, to show the abnormality of the situation.
2. Mags's Death: Mags, one of the older tributes in the Hunger Games, sacrifices herself for Katniss, Peeta and Finnick's survival as they are escaping from the poisonous fog. Personally, I expected her heroic act to be a bigger element in the storyline, but it happened so fast that I couldn't truly grasp the idea that she'd died.
3. The Ending: The final scene of the movie ends with Katniss Everdeen waking up in the aircraft taking her to District 13 along with Plutarch, Haymitch and some of the other tributes. The screen fades out on a view of her face after she wakes up and then moves on to an animation of the mocking jay pin. Personally, I felt this scene ended very abruptly, especially since in the book, the characters are introduced to District 13. Also, I think the animation wasn't necessary at all - I would have preferred it if the directors ended it with Katniss's face - because to me, it was a little immature, as if they felt there was something missing so they decided to include it.

Overall, I felt the movie was very well done with beautiful scenery and shots. It was also more strategic, making the storyline increasingly interesting to follow. Even though some things did irk me, I would recommend this movie to anyone, especially those who have already seen the first movie or read the book. The third movie, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, is scheduled to release the 21st of November, 2014. And with that, I end. Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour.

Aamenah Meghjee