I've just watched Hunger Games: Catching Fire, the sequel of the Hunger Games. Literally, like I just got home an hour ago and I want to review it before I forget. Before I start, I can't wait to tell that this movie is awesome!!~~ I love it and can't wait to watch the next sequel.
I've never read the books, so when I watch the movie, it was a genuine experience without any expectation. The movie starts quite bland, Katniss and Peeta got back home at District 12, and they're going to do a victory tour, a part of their winning celebration. Suddenly, Katniss got a surprise visit from President Snow at her house (should I say new? But I don't wanna spoil the story.).
Apparently, inspite some people think that her try to commit suicide together with Peeta as a love action, some people think it's a form of disobedience from the Capitol. President Snow force Katniss to convince him that the relationship the Peeta is real, unless her family will be in danger. So, as they doing the victory tour, most of time they must pretend more how deeply in love they are.
At first Katniss finds it hard to follow all the speeches that has been set up for her to say, instead she tells how deeply sorry she is for the death of Rue, this end up with the peace corps kill a citizen of District 11. After that she become very obedient and do all the things told by Capitol. But, that's not enough. Rebellion everywhere. People try to fight back. Capitol tries to stop rebellion by killing and torturing.
Until the story starts to twist. As an effort to stop the rebellion, the President held the 75th Hunger Games called the 3rd Quarter Quell. With the tributes are from.... all the districts' winners! Yes, the president assumes Katniss and all fellow winners as threats, as symbols of disobedience, so he wants to destroy her along with them. All the winners hate it, they don't wanna play but they had to. At the tributes introduction hosted by Caesar, they try to stop to game, with acting, with all kind of mind manipulation towards the crowd, include fake story. All the tributes hold hand together at the end of introduction. But the game is still held.
The part when all the tributes all at the Capitol is great, from the parade, interview, especially because of the visual effect. Impressive visual effect at the parade of the building, city, and Katniss and Peeta's outfit; more impressive when introduction, Katniss wears a wedding dress and when she twists, it changed into something wonderful.
When the game starts, it's in a new location, with amazing visual effect once again. A beautiful forest, beach, trees and sky. If before all the tributes hold hand and unite, once the game starts it changed. District 1 and 2 are the heartless killers. While Katniss and Peeta are allied with Finnick and Mags. Together they fight the craziness of the location. At this movie, there's not much fight along each other, instead, they're struggling to survive from nature. There is a lot of shocking moments (literally, the one that makes you quickly inhale and your heart stopped for a while). At the forest Mags is dead from a poisonous fog. They're attacked by a pack of baboon. An morphling addict tribute suddenly emerged, sacrifice herself and saves Peeta.The plot is increasing from there.
Most of the tributes are not introduced and just simply dead. Besides 3 people from District 1&2, who's left are Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick that are then allied with Beete, Johanna, and 'nuts' (forget her name, she's dead not long after). They stay at beach. Beete create a plan to destroy that 3 people. They then going back to the forest. This is the climax of the story. Finnick, Peeta and Beete stay at a tree where the lightning will hit. Katniss and Johanna bring cable that will connect tree and beach. Suddenly the 3 people attacks them, Katniss is hit by Johanna who actually saves her life by making Katniss looks dead. When Katniss is conscious, she goes towards Peeta's spot immediately. But she can't find Peeta, instead Beete is unconscious, and Finnick is missing. When Finnick emerges, she can't decide whether Finnick is an ally or not, until Finnick says "remember who's the enemy". Katniss epically throws a spear to sky, results the lighting strikes back to the sky and destroy the game location, reveals falling roof structure. She then picked up by a plane that usually take the corpse. After that, watch it yourself. hahaha.
The ending is so predictable that left me hanging, shocked with how the film ends. Ending is very important for a movie, it's what makes a good movie, summarizes the story. Good movie ends epically, leaves you live in that movie, forget the reality for a while, and makes you not willing the movie ends, still want to watch more . For the last 10 minutes I think I forgot to take a breath, unconsciously hold my breath and not move at all.
The differences from the first movie are:
1. The relationship between Katniss and Gale is more obvious. They're in love with each other, they kiss several times.
2. But Katniss also cares more about Peeta. She even force Haywitch not to let Peeta died whatever it takes. They kiss several times too, some are acting, but some I'm not really sure.
3. Prim, Katniss' sister, is braver now, more mature, more confident. She takes care of Gale when he's injured and convince Katniss to fight. She's different from the first movie when she's scared all the time and so innocent. I'm very proud of her.
4. More awesome dresses, courtesy of Cinna.
5. More believable virtual effects, except the Baboon.
I can't wait to watch the next sequel!
