In the fantastic sequel to The Hunger Games (2012), director Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend) doesn't reinvent the wheel of action and adventure, but he doesn't have to. He abandons the seizure-inducing shaky cam that will forever seem sophomoric when used by anyone that isn't Bourne director Paul Greengrass, and luckily shots last longer than a half second before abruptly cutting. A smart friend said recently that the action in the original Hunger Games was a product of editing, and he's right. That's a huge problem, and Francis Lawrence wisely keeps what worked about the first film's visual style - the striking juxtaposition between the gray of the districts, the natural vibrancy of the arena, and the colorful vivaciousness of the capitol, all of which are color graded differently in post production for maximum effect - but isn't scared to radically alter it moving forward. Ironically, that comes in the form of using a slightly traditional visual vocabulary, one that grounds the movie in a palpable reality. Going back to basics is a large part of what gives the story natural room to thrive instead of drowning it out with over-stylized noise.

That's good, since Catching Fire tells a story with greater potency than the previous, in part by drawing on a greater number of real world comparisons. The impoverished districts are similar to the starving nations of the third world, and we're seeing blue collar towns regulated, oppressed, and controlled by a commercially motivated sovereignty. Additionally, the world building is excellent, and constructing a mental map of each of the film's major settings is easy due to well-placed camera angles with well done CGI background plates. As small a touch as it is, it's one many films can't execute properly, and it has a big payoff. Viewers gain a strong sense of place and being, strengthened all the more by the deliberate pacing of the opening act. We're allowed to spend time with the characters and the locations, so when shit hits the fan, the stakes are raised considerably. They feel real. Also necessary to note is the production design, which is nothing short of spectacular and enhances this feeling.