1. It's Better Than The First Hunger Games
Whisper it, but sooner or later, people are going to start referring to The Hunger Games as the greatest example of its particular niche genre, ousting both The Running Man and the Battle Royale films as the pinnacle of the game show/murder games market. Yes, the film suffers slightly for being too long (it begins to drag somewhat with its more pensive first half before the Games themselves kick off and revitalise the entertainment factor massively) but overall, the sequel excels and exceeds the original. Katniss is a more interesting character, and the introduction of Beetee, Heavensbee, Finnick and Johanna are all very successful, even if there is some trade off in the development of Haymitch and Gale, and the portrayal of the majority of the tributes from other Districts. Though the third installment has rather annoyingly been cut in two, this second film sets up the final two films well, with the culmination of the rebellion looking like a very good event for the next two years. Knowing that there are some slower elements adds a little caviat to that excitement, but if the remaining sequels follow the trend of increased return, we're in for a double-headed treat. Did you love The Hunger Games: Catching Fire? Share your own reviews below int he comments thread.