3. Francis Lawrence Delivers Coherent, Rousing Action Scenes
You are likely to hear this trotted out more often than not, but it's true nonetheless. In particular, it's one of the few areas where the improvement comes directly from a changing of the guard on the film's end, and not just a natural result of Collins story being different from what came before. The action in the first Hunger Games was initially frustrating and later, desensitizing. Death had no excruciating stingeven one of the book's younger, beloved tributes met her end with a surprising lack of emotional resonanceand eventually, the challenges faced were similarly bereft of danger. Director Lawrence has come off of several adaptationsConstantine, I Am Legend, Water for Elephantsthat called for big set pieces and showy moments, and in fits-and-starts he delivered some of the necessary spectacle without making memorable movies. Here, with the confidence of the story itself, and plenty of time to ramp-up to the confrontations, he comes into his own directing the action and makes this 75th Quarter-Quell games far more devastating and grueling than similar skirmishes in R-rated action flicks. The tropical jungle setting for the games helps, as does a more fluid sense of structure once the combatants are dropped into their surroundings. Best of all, there's a texture and geography to these moments that was entirely lacking last time round. When Tributes must band together to assess the jungle, it's dangers, and those trying to kill them, we are delivered directly into their perspective. Some of the violent ends are still obscured, but not the kinetic movement leading up to the death blows. The last third of the film feels like an epic graphic-novel, and the primal scream that punctuated something like Lord of the Flies is finally present onscreen. Without giving too much away, it also helps that Heavensbee's traps and obstacles are very cinema-friendly, both scary and colorful in equal measure. An attack by a certain animal species, as well as Collins haunting jabber-jays, are particular highlights.