The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The film starts by showing the scars of the two victors have from the last film, with more focus on Katniss. She is shown scared and out of sorts when hunting game for her family. It happened when she tried to take a shot with her bow and arrow, at one of the birds she spotted. A man appeared just when she picked her target and shot an arrow and it appeared that she killed him. This shocked her and she started crying as it reminded her of the incidents of what happened in the last film The Hunger Games which is silently haunting her. This scene I described can be interpreted to show some of the hardships celebrities or anyone has after be paraded in the news for anything like for example winning a game show. Her boyfriend Gale Hawthorne not Peeta Mellark comforts her quickly as he had followed her to her hunting spot. Now throughout the first part of the film, Gale shows his distaste for Katniss to continue this relationship with Peeta, which Katniss says is just a charade. This makes the audience watch closely at Katniss' handling of her relationships. The scene where she unexpectedly meets President Snow, who tells her through silent threats and hints if she does not keep on the relationship with Peeta her family will be in jeopardy. This again can be interpreted back into celebrity culture, of what the studio heads do to the celebrities if they do not go along with their plot. This kind of behaviour goes back to the star systems and the star system is what created film stars.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire which will be referred to as The Hunger Games 2, then shows the victors Peeta and Katniss touring the other districts. The scenes shows how powerful the victors could be in stirring up people in the other districts. In the first visit they made a lot of the civilians raise the hands ups in salute to her, which is basically a salute against the system controlled by the Capital Panem. So the riot officers, who are called Peacekeepers were called over and beat a man senseless. This made Katniss Everdeen burst out angrily against what she saw as unjust and Haymitch Abernathy played by Woody Harrelson had to grab her, to bring her back and make sure she did not cause more trouble. Haymitch is again called in to rail the victors during Katniss' boyfiend public beating. As Peeta came in to protect his fiancée from another punch to the face. These scenes show how Peeta and Katniss still have a lot to learn about their image and how it effects the other districts, capital, themselves and their friends. The scene also allows us to reflect back at an earlier scenes of Effie Trinket and her crew bustling into Katniss' home, to prepare her for the tour around the districts. This scene is there to show how tightly controlled Katniss Everdeen is after being victor in the Hunger Games and also explains a lot what it would be like to be a celebrity, as those things happen all the time for the celebrities as the life is invaded as well as their privacy.

The imagery in The Hunger Games 2 is quite symbolic and highlights things later seen in the film. For example President Snow at the Palace drinking water that suddenly turns blood red with all the people at the palace below him. This scene can be viewed that he is drinking the blood of the land. Later when there is a game and I will explain what the game is later. One of the contestants complains about the water they were drinking turning to blood. Other imagery in the film is the wedding dress that Cinna designs for Katniss to wear, that changes by fire into a beautiful blue dress shape like a bird with feathers. The type of bird is a mocking jay which is Katniss' favourite bird. Now this dress was not just a stunning show of Cinna's creativity and skill, but was a political move. The burning of dress represents President Snow's cancelling of her wedding to put on the 75th Hunger Games, but with an added twist. The pool from which the districts choose the contestants, which is called the reaping is not from the standard population but from the victors of the previous games. This was allowed because every 25 years there is a Quarter Quell, which allows for new ways for the Hunger Games to be played. The reason for this instruction of the Quarter Quell is quite simple President Snow wants Katniss Everdeen dead. The changing of the dress into the bird, a mocking jay is to show that you can not kill or threaten her as it is her favourite bird.

The acting is good Jennifer Lawrence does well acting Katniss Everdeen who is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder after the ordeal she had to go through from the last Hunger Games. As I said in the beginning her PTSD shows when she tries to kill a bird on the ground as she thought she killed a man. However this does not make her break especially when she talks to Donald Sutherland's President Snow who threatens and reminds her that she has to convince him of her love for Peeta Mellark played by Josh Hutcherson. Jennifer's actions as Katnis Everdeen allows the audience to see the strain she is having throughout the film. This allows the audience to feel for what she is going through so when she has to convince Gale that she still loves him but still needs to go with the charade with Peeta. So during the event of the Hunger Games when ever we see Peeta and Katniss kissing we start thinking about how this effects Gale if he sees this and what would happen if she meets Gale after winning the event how will there relationship survive. Now to keep both Peeta and Katniss thinking clearly in the games is Haymitch Abernathy played by Woody Harrelson. Haymitch who is still an alcoholic but is the most political of the group and is good at explaining the situation to them. For example Haymitch explains to Peeta and Katniss about how they are portrayed to the rest of districts. He tells them of some of the uprisings that have been happening in the districts and how Katniss in particular is seen a leader for a rebellion. This is why her mocking jay is such a strong symbol of rebellion against capitol rule which Woody Harrelson does well in presenting. Since Haymitch is such a strong character when comes to planning how to succeed in games especially since he is there mentor. He again tells them how to survive in the Quarter Quell telling them their disadvantage from having just won the games. He tells them that they are seen as outsiders so they have to find a way to be liked around the other victors which again is true in celebrity culture as well as business.

This is also another reason why Peeta had to step in when Haymitch name was picked during the reaping for Quarter Quell, as they still need his help in fighting though it would be lovely see how Haymitch would lead the team in battle. However that would mean that Haymitch could not be part of the plot twist that rescues Katniss and one of their group near end of the film. This is when we are told of the rebellion and that Haymitch was quite involved in it and also stuns us with the news of the new Gamemaker, as Seneca Crane dies at the end for allowing Peeta and Katniss to win the Hunger Games when only one person is suppose to win. The stunning news is that Plutarch Heavensbee who became the new Gamemaker is also part of the rebellion. Plutarch Heavensbee is played by Philip Seymour Hoffman who is brilliant especially at the reception in the palace when he meets and dances with Katniss you could not see this twist coming as the audience thought he was as evil as President Snow. To help present Peeta and Katniss properly you have to look at Effie Trinket played by Elizabeth Banks who represents any celebrity helper or PR guru in the world today. Her appearance is so extravagant because it is suppose to satirise her class and type in the celebrity world. On the other hand Effie Trinket is crucial to the film as I said earlier she helps present the two victors and also tells them what to say even though they didn't listen. This error hits them in the face as I explained the riot that happen during the speech in District 11. Elizabeth Banks does well acting this character because even though she made to look like an idiot the actress still has to find some way of being important in film. Another Character that needs mention is the host of the Hunger Games Caesar Flickerman played by Stanley Tucci who of course satirises game show and chat show hosts. Caesar Flickerman brings a particular thing to the film and that is he draws you into the film and allows the audience to care about the characters through the obvious gossip through questions and through how he presents himself. Caesar allows the audience to care about the other contestants while hardly anyone else in the film does I write hardly because Haymitch does mention the other characters but only in reference to how they can help or hinder Peeta and Katniss.

The other characters in the Hunger Games 2 are also worth mentioning, especially her allies who are important to mention as it helps when interpreting the film to be a satire of celebrity culture, like Wiress played by Amanda Plummer who figured that the arena was shaped like a clock, this allowed for Katniss and her friends to predict when the next obstacles will come. Amanda Plummer does well in acting Wiress when in the Arena, near the beach because her character starts repeating two words “tick tock” which any lesser actor, would make the character so annoying or useless that we would not care about the character enough too recognise what she was saying as a valuable idea to be use by the team. Also this could not be done without Amanda's acting as Wiress as a quiet reclusive person in the training area, when Katniss was recruiting allies as the audience needed to see her like that, so they could believe that during the stress of fighting in the arena she cracked. Wiress' character does not look like she could be interpreted for particular celebrity culture, but the character gets killed after she helps people figured out how the game is played. Now the fate of Wiress could be considered as the extreme of what happens to the celebrities or any one who figures out how the production companies work and complains. However another way to look at it, is to observe that the hard conditions of celebrity life could drive a person insane and he may die or another extreme commit murder or lesser extremes break other laws. Wiress character can be seen as one of the typical characters you see in reality shows, like Big Brother or I am a Celebrity get me out of here, as a person who is reclusive, shy and to which the majority may ignore or walk over.

However some of those types of people have friends and in The Hunger Games 2 she does and he is called Beetee Latier played by Jeffrey White. Now Beetee is the brainy one as he tells Katniss why the lights are blinking in the training area. He says it was because the force field was taking up to much energy. Jeffrey White makes Beete Latier an interesting person to watch when you see him in the training failing to make a fire it is Jeffrey White's acting of Beetee that makes him useful to Katniss proving Haymitch right about his skills. Beetee uses knowledge of electronics and wiring in the arena to try and craft an electrical trip wire powered by lighting that hits a tree at a certain time however that gets sabotage and Katniss uses what left of the wiring to connect a bow and shoot it at the dome where the force field is when the lightning strikes, which destroys the forcefield that knocks her out and allows Haymitch and his team to rescue her and Beetee. Now to complete the typical contestants in reality tv which the shows I mentioned are classified, their has to be bitchy one who at times can be strikingly beautiful and may be referred to as unattainable and could betray you if you ever became friends. Joanna Mason played by Jena Malone fits that description. Now the hard apart about Joanna Mason which Jena Melona does well is she has to make a good first impression so the audience can remember her. So her stripping naked in an elevator infront of Peeta, Katniss and Haymitch was her way of trying to get in the team. To explain further Joanna is first see looking aggressive and angry throwing axes her favourite weapon in the training room and last the scene I depicted she is seen sexy and beautiful. The combination of those acts imprints on the audience mind as she is the trickiest of victors. The last thing producers like in reality tv shows or game shows is the charming handsome one or a strong valiant one. Finnick Odair played by Sam Claflin fits both classes. Sam Claflin's acting is needed because it enhances Katniss survival in the arena, as the best group is a fighter and a archer although Peeta is usually reserved as a fighter, Finnick good looks and charm gives them more percentage of them getting gifts in the arena. He is also needed for the rebellion and the way he asks for Katniss secrets, seems to hint that he is a gigolo and prominently knows a lot of people's secrets. These Characters are used in reality tv shows and game shows to enhance the entertainment value. President Snow uses this against victors to sabotage their relationships and image especially for Katniss Everdeen. However this can be seen in the real world and people who do that the most are not just the studio heads and their PR team but the journalists.

Overall the film is exciting and has a complex rhythm, its starts of slow to show and explain the scars of Katniss and Peeta from the last film but ends fast to show how quickly the rebellion has taken hold of the Hunger Games and the middle is a bit haphazard as it explains the main characters position as their world is changing quite fast.