THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE | MOVIE REVIEW [SPOILER]

– ★★★★½

 ‘I died watching the book’s magnificence re-engineered masterfully on the silver screen.’

I’ve been a Hunger Games fan ever since before the movies came out. I’ve read the entire series with no halls barred from day one to day four neglecting my duties as an online teacher that day, and I’ve no regrets, just pure fascination on the entire series.

The Hunger Games movie came out with a blast, injecting a political and showbiz paradigm of a new America called Panem with an awesome movie that garnered 83% fresh in rottentomatoes.com and was followed up by The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie this year.

Catching Fire is a follow up movie telling the aftermath series of events right after the first film and how Katniss Everdeen tries to outrun the trauma she’s gotten into and tries to be neutral on the recent spark of revolution she’s given to the citizens of Panem and the desperation of the government to kill off that uprising including Katniss herself.

Why was The Hunger Games book and movie a trend lately? Because of the unique story of a new dystopian tyrant world ruled by one central successful district called Capitol and the rest are slaves or workers for them. And it cannot linger away from most political transgressions in most countries nowadays; only less showbiz killing and showoffs on cam. Also the addition of the effervescent Jennifer Lawrence who’s stunning and down-to-earth celebrity who tries to concisely diminish the usual celebrity ladder to fame which is to look like a skinned doll and try to be delusion in front of the camera: no, JenLaw is not that type, and I can say she is a role model for us human beings who doesn’t need to look perfect in order to please everyone.

Months ago I’ve seen and been impressed by the trailers of the movie and how I was not afraid that it would fail me as a fan and how will it be true to the book. And then I’ve read fantastic reviews from critics all around the world telling how good the movie was… until today.

Here’s what I can say to the movie.

THE MIRAGE

What I love about reading books that’ll be turned into movies is for the reason that I want my imagination to be brought to life; when you read something, you promote yourself to an illusionary world where you are the director and the camera man. When I precisely have a vision on a revolutionary epic story and will be translated to the silver screen; it makes me excited.

But due to the fact that, let’s be honest, an adaptation of a film from a book doesn’t need to be exactly what the book says since the true meaning of adaptation is not a Xerox copy; instead, the entire plot is taken into precautionary re-telling of the tale with small modifications but intends not to destroy the said plot.

But this one, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire movie is a true manifestation that you could adapt and Xerox at the same time! The movie did not go far away from the book, and still has the essence and contents in it.

The mirage of the events of the story inside my mind happens to look SOMEWHAT exactly in the movie! I have to applaud the director, Francis Lawrence, for doing such an amazing job to stay true to the book. Not all scenes happen to look exactly what I imagined, but close to that of the movie, especially the arena.

THE ACTING

Jennifer Lawrence won a best actress, b*tch. JenLaw is pleasing to me seeing her acting in all the hurtful emotions displaying a traumatized girl was a bravo.

And the rest of the cast were amazing in delivering their characters. I applaud Phillip Seymour Hoffman who played the role of the illusionary antagonist, Plutarch, who, I thought was scary and if I hadn’t read the book, I wouldn’t know that he’s part of the rebellion especially when he speaks with Donald Sutherland who played President Snow creating a nonchalant tension in the way he looks and speaks that displayed arrogance and evil-ish look.

THE DIRECTION AND MUSICAL SCORE

Thankfully, they’ve also changed into a perfect director, Francis Lawrence, who gave out the essence of the book beautifully. It’s one of those action packed books that they didn’t ruin at all. Instead, they magnify every scene that still captures your attention with strong musical score.

OVERALL

In totality, I was beyond amazed by the film and how it was taken from book to the screen with amazement! Not all my favorite books that were brought to the silver screen were this epic. I die watching the book’s magnificence re-engineered masterfully on the silver screen.

CRITIQUE – 4 ½ /5

THE FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE

In my recent experience, the four kinds of people are the:

1.) Good Samaritan

2.) Opportunist

3.) Ignorant and

4.) Willful Ignorant

Amidst the brimstone of poverty and financial scrutiny; I managed to simply spend my dosh to enjoy all the weekends with my partner; and luckily for me, that sense was reciprocated by him. Although, we both know that upon this splendor, we would radically be poor in the future.

Amidst the brimstone of ravishing crimes and undignified salutatory from the atrocious politicians especially here in the Philippines; I would consider us the many kinds of people who have motivations upon reaching one goal: to have money… huge amount of money.

And amidst the brimstone of Madam Janet Napoles who stole billions of dosh for the sake of nonchalantly live in the world where she and her family will just lie in a cushion made bed in a twenty-star hotel (if that’s possible) and not minding if ‘that’ in the bank has lost thousands just for one glamorous night in luxury!

Here’s my story…

One Saturday evening…

My partner and I were prepared to head to a burger place where the buzz is all about. After two hours of preparing for our date; we then went down the boarding house where he is staying which I barge in on the weekends.

We then waited for a jeepney to take us to that specific place, since our stomachs were already fimished. We even shared laughs on the pavement, while the noise of the passing chariot tries to disturb.

We then saw an upcoming jeepney, with headlights shining viciously, blinding us both. And we waved for it to stop.

My partner and I then were inside the jeepney, and noticed, there were only a few people. While we sat on the further part from the driver; we saw two women across us (they maybe not be related because they were obviously away from each other) and another girl wearing headphones in her ears who sat a feet behind the disabled front seat.

We were all silent, hoping for a pleasant night even when you can see the grim and suffering on the faces of these people.

And then the interesting part came when my partner got hold of my attention to something really valuable, he said, “Hala B, naai nahug nga pitaka!” (Someone dropped their wallet).

I looked at the jeepney floor, and indeed, there was a wallet inches away from the girl with the headphone. I noticed how she was nonchalantly listening to the music. But sense came to us realizing, how come she’s not able to pick up that wallet when it’s just right in front of her?

My partner convinced me that she actually sees it, but did not act about it!

He then told me, “Kwa-a b!” (You get it, B!)

In my heart, I was willing to pick up that wallet, because I know deeply, incorruptible; I’ll be handing it over to the owner, dignified. But I was sitting at the very end of the jeepney while my partner was beside me, but blocks my way to reach that wallet. But I was also in battle of myself that it could be the girls’ wallet. But that doesn’t make sense since it was obviously for men! Also, the jeepney was moving fast. Those things stopped my gut to get it.

Then the jeepney stopped, a guy with a backpack entered and sat behind the girl with the headphones on, and one of the older lady in front of us dropped off.

That stopped my gut again, and the jeepney continued while My partner and I continued to talk about how it came about there and how much worried the owner might be at that very moment.

The battle continues inside me, up until the jeepney again stopped and another lady came in and sat beside my partner.

My partner and I said to each other that it’s better if we got hold of the wallet because it’s safer since we know that we could return it complete to the owner.

Then the guy with a backpack transferred seats, across the girl with headphones on.

I have a gut feel that he already had seen the wallet, and my partner told me that he might get it and not return it. I even saw him took a glimpse of the wallet.

When we gave our fare, that’s been passed by the lady next to my partner and handed it to the guy and the guy then passed it to the driver. He then quickly bent over and, (I was right) got hold of the wallet.

What’s interesting was he kept it in his hands and looked away… still, acting like there’s nothing happened.

My partner and I were babbling about his body language and how it is likely possible that he won’t return it, since we concluded that if he really has good intentions for that wallet; he would’ve scanned it right away to look for the name of the owner OR he could have simply asked the girl in front of him if that’s hers, or ask us if we knew who that wallet was. We could be wrong, but our hunch tells us the other way round.

He kept it in his hands and looked away, maybe trying to avoid eye contact with us.

My partner and I then realized how awful that situation was, and regret was in our guts.

It was like our society where there are people who are blinded and ignorant of the hideous happenings around. Some choose to rather be blind and deaf to exclude themselves from tension, OR some have not yet discovered the true maleficent nature of people and the events but are willing to fight, if given the chance so.

Then there’s the willfully ignorant people, who sees everything that’s been happening around them, how they could less care about listening to people who are willing to fight for what’s right, and press on with what they do for living instead.

And there are these good Samaritans who are willfully willing to help, but gets caught off guard by situations while reaching for the goal of the barrage for equality, peace or simple respect.

Then there are opportunists who are always on the move whenever there’s a loophole they could pass in to. They would neglect values and slumber their souls in figurative squalor while acquiring the plentiful of others. They would rather save thyselves rather have the unspeakable suffering others already are in. They would rather step on other’s heads for them to reach the mountain of fortune.

But then I realized; it all boils back to us…

We could’ve done something more than just looking at that wallet and run for it and willfully return it to the deserved owner whose dead worrying the whereabouts of his possession.

But no, we were just there; feeling regret while ranting about giving the guy the benefit of the doubt that he himself is suffering from financial needs and does the dirty job instead which gives him quick access to gain money… or we were totally wrong. But we know in our guts that we’re not.

I realized, we were not the ‘Good Samaritans’ yet. We could’ve really done something… I personally could’ve done something MORE.