Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence)
and Peeta (Josh Hucherson) are back for the wildest ride of their life – The Winner’s Tour. With revolution ripe
from the 74th Hunger Games,
where Katniss and Peeta defied the Capitol by being the first winners to be
from the same district (not to mention, defying the odds of having a single
winner), President Snow (Donald Sutherland) is breathing down their necks to
maintain his control over the twelve districts.
But with the reality of
hope seeping through the districts, the 75th Hunger Games Quarter Quell has sent even more uproar as past
winners are being brought back into the arena, once gain risking their lives
for the sake of entertainment.
The Story
For those of you who
haven’t read the trilogy, this second instalment to the Hunger Games simply sees Katniss and Peeta attempting to keep their
“star-crossed lovers” act alive for the duration of both the Winner’s Tour and
the next leg of the Games. Gale (Liam Hemsworth) also returns, but this time as
the wedge of reality and reason between the couple.
This time the Games are
more dangerous; everyone that will enter the arena have entered it once before
– and WON. Each contestant had their own means of winning the Games before,
thus everyone is just as deadly as the other – no matter what district they’re
from.
It’s a great adaptation of
the book and follows the story nicely, allowing you to enjoy the progression of
the story from the first film. What this film does well that the first film
seemed to lack, was the creation of the unseen events of the book (since it was
written from Katniss’s perspective) to the screen. In saying that, it could
possibly be because the first film set the pattern for this film, thus, making
it easier to appreciate the poetic license of adding the Gamemaker’s room and
Plutrach Heavensbee’s (Phillip Seymore Hoffman) conversations with President
snow.
The Cast
Reprising their roles, Jennifer
Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson
(Haymitch), Elizabeth Banks (Effie), along with Stanley Tucci (Caesar
Flickerman) all stepped it up a notch in giving their characters a different
dynamic for the pressing demands of the Quarter Quell. They all brought a
darker side of their characters, which gave the new comers are great playing
field when it came to supporting them.
Sam Clafin and Jena Malone
were the two standouts for me as I was watching the film. Playing Finnick Odair
– District 4’s seemingly self-absorbed, good-looking “darling of the Capitol” –
and Johanna Mason – a feisty firecracker with not remorse from District 7 –
both played a great contrast to Lawrence’s and Hutcherson’s “stubborn-girl and
loving-boy” portrayals. Malone was the extreme version of Lawrence’s characters
and Clafin was the flirt that Hutcherson’s character could never be – or would
ever want to be.
Overall the film was a
great adaptation of the book and it left you wanting more. It was exciting,
moving and thrilling all at once. It’s one everyone will enjoy no matter what
age you are. I recommend reading the series, but like I said, the film can
stand alone if you’ve seen the first film. If you do watch it without seeing
the first one, I’m sure you’ll pick the story up pretty easily, but you may not
have the emotional attachments to the scenes and characters as those around you
(:P).
sL Star Rating: ★★★★★
Next on sL: TBA