No matter what the critics think about the next Hunger Games movie, Catching Fire, it’s going to be an enormous success no matter what. Still, we’re definitely curious if the next installment is any better or worse than the original, especially considering original screenwriter / director Gary Ross (Big, Seabiscuit) didn’t come back for another go round. (He was replaced by I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence.)
So far, the reviews for Catching Fire are pretty good, and it looks like it could be better than the original. The Wrap headlined their review, “Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen Burns Righter Than Ever.” The review also notes that Lawrence “leads an impressive cast in a saga that’s smarter and more thrilling than its predecessor. This second installment of the film series hits all the bases for a genre movie – whether you’re there for htrills, romance or even sociopolitical commentary, you’ll come away satisfied.”
The Hollywood Reporter also wrote that “Catching Fire runs no risk of disappointing its absolutely ravenous target audience…this is a safe, serviceable, carefully crafted action drama in which the subversive seeds planted in the first story take welcome root. As before, Jennifer Lawrence is the superb center of it all and the massive success of this Lionsgate release is as certain as the turning of the Earth.”
Again, the movie’s going to make a ton of dough no matter what, and The Hunger Games should still be the hot thing for at least another year or so. It’s certainly more tolerable than teen vampires, and we hope the next two installments will grow even better from here.
