10. Phillip Seymour Hoffman Plays The Shadowy New Games Maker
Replacing the curiously bearded Wes Bentley (who played Seneca Crane in the first film) in the Games Maker role, Phillip Seymour Hoffman appears as the equally silly-named Plutarch Heavensbee, who clearly wasn't covered by the costume department, since he pretty much just seems to be wearing his clothes from home while everyone else looks like Lady Gaga's bastard children. Heavensby is presented as Snow's new right-hand man, intent on reinventing the Games, as well as using them to stop the District rebellions by destroying their symbol of hope, Katniss. It is on his suggestion that Snow sends troops into the Districts to double punishments and make life more difficult, and his devilish manipulation of the Games lay-out is deliciously nasty. But, there's more to Heavensbee as initially seems, as his first conversation with Katniss seems to tantalisingly hint. The whole twist on the character is a clever one, given how well Hoffman plays the cold, calculating Games Maker, and how convincing his desire to kill Katniss appears to be (his plan is massively risky, and could have been foiled at any time by his accidentally killing Katniss.)