Like it's predecessor, Catching Fire is another briskly paced, polished adventure film that makes you think, but not too hard.
Starting shortly after the end of the 74th annual (and titular) Hunger Games, Panem is on the brink of revolution thanks to Katniss Everdeen's (Jennifer Lawrence) defiant act of self preservation. As the masses rally around Katniss, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) plots to clandestinely eliminate the reluctant symbol of the rebellion. The new Head Gamemaker (Philip Seymour Hoffman) hatches a plan to hold a tournament of champions where previous victors will take the place of the usually random tributes. If it all goes according to plan, Katniss and a slew of other victors die along with the threat they pose to President Snow.
The inspired casting of Catching Fire is once again a strength of the film. In the sequel we are treated to more of Donald Sutherland, who plays an ostensibly avuncular but ultimately sinister character as well as anybody. Philip Seymour Hoffman is excellent as the Gamemaker that just might have ulterior motives, and Woody Harrelson is charming as the endlessly tormented Haymitch Abernathy.
The film also succeeds by emphasizing brewing revolution, which at this point is more interesting than the Hunger Games. The biting satire of America's celebrity culture was a delightful revelation, though it was a little too much on the nose to come across as absurd.
This film is many things, being worth your time and money are two of them.
