THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE PG-13 146 Minutes Director: Francis Lawrence Writers: Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt, Suzanne Collins
CAST Jennifer Lawrence–Katniss Everdeen Donald Sutherland–President Snow Josh Hutcherson–Peeta Mellark Liam Hemsworth–Gale Hawthorne Stanley Tucci–Caesar Flickerman Lenny Kravitz–Cinna Woody Harrelson–A. Burnout Philip Seymour Hoffman--Plutarch Heavensbee
‘Give ‘em guns, step back, watch em kill each other’- 2pac, CHANGES
Let The Games Begin
If we can learn anything from the Native Americans, it’s that you can solve all conflicts with archery. Also, archery is an efficient way to split an apple. (I know–William Tell references are so timely). So today I’m reviewing a movie about a girl who shoots arrows. It’s not as bad as it sounds. Just try not to think about things too hard, and you’ll be fine.
I like this movie, without really knowing why. It’s just people killing each other, very creatively.
HUNGER GAMES is like RAMBO on Steroids…on Steroids
Or a season of SURVIVOR gone wrong, featuring only terrorist contestants.
Or my favorite, the new AMERICAN GLADIATORS.
Characters
Lenny Kravitz really knows how to suck the life out of a room. Every time he shows up, I sigh. By my count, I sighed about six times in this film. But one of those was a sigh of relief. This will be the only spoiler: but I don’t think we’re going to see any more Lenny Kravitz in future HUNGER GAMES films, unless there are flashbacks of him, or prequels. In a round about way, I’m trying to say that he died. Yes, Lenny Kravitz died, very violently.
Donald Sutherland is such a menacing villain. And he’s good at playing one in movies.
Philip Seymour Hoffman, I’m surprised to see him in such a mainstream blockbuster. Even though he did the bare minimum in promoting this movie, Hoffman still puts much effort, in what he knows is a silly role: that’s admirable.
This Katniss character, she seems cold, and standoffish, like Jodie Foster. Maybe it’s because she’s killed so many people. Or perhaps it’s because she has suffered at the hands of so many men. She treats the men in her life like shit. Katniss needs to improve her mental health, before she breaks anymore hearts, literally, and figuratively speaking. I think therapy and treatment for PTSD are in order, which would include some potent pharmaceuticals.
Parting Words
What will happen next in THE HUNGER GAMES? I have no way of knowing, unless I read the books. Which could take a couple of weeks. Besides, I criticize movies, I don’t read books…for the purposes of movie criticism. I do know that we’ve got two more movies. And not many more people to kill off. That utopia couldn’t be too far off into the future.
This isn’t a movie made specifically for thinking people. It does have a similar ending to BIO-DOME. But that’s beside the point. THE HUNGER GAMES series is for 13-year-old girls. But they are not the only ones that can enjoy this movie. Pedophiles and psychopaths might like it too. And to you, the reader, wherever you may fall on the pedophile-psycopath continuum: I’m sure you won’t leave the theater hungry.
Final Verdict: 89 out of 100
