The second installment to The Hunger Games series proves to be a great improvement over the first part; the plot is tighter, the direction smoother, and the overall feel is of deeper purpose, both emotionally and socio-politically. Francis Lawrence directs Catching Fire with a steady hand to a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt. It is based on Suzanne Collins's novel, her second in The Hunger Games book trilogy.
Mixing the right portions of action, romance, and even a little bit of comedy, Francis Lawrence is able to bring the essence of the story to life on the big screen. Jennifer Lawrence is truly on fire returning as Katniss Everdeen, the heroine. She is supported by an excellent group of actors including Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Toby Jones, Willow Shields, and Paula Malcomson. The special effects as the art direction are stunning but remain within the context of the plot. The novel itself is still deeper and much more detailed, but all things considered, this is an excellent adaptation and one well worth seeing on the silver screen