Plot: What’s it about?
The wait is over. It’s here. For those that read Suzanne Collins’ novels that started back in 2010 and followed Katniss through the films – here it is. This is the culmination of a quartet of movies, two directors and a diverse ensemble cast. I won’t prattle on as I’ve already said everything I want to in the introductions below. Enjoy!
The Hunger Games
It often amazes me how the littlest, most simplistic things can really take shape and turn into something tangible. Case in point, author Suzanne Collins was channel surfing a few years back and word has it that she was watching the television show Survivor (you know, the one where they vote people off an island after competing in challenges). Collins then ended up on CNN and was watching some footage of the war over in Iraq and her wheels began to turn. Essentially she took what she’d seen and eventually came up with The Hunger Games. Yes, I guess it really was that simple. Well when you’re an author and have a thoughtful and creative imagination – I guess that helps too. The book was an instant success and two more followed in the coming years: Catching Fire and Mockingjay. In 2012, the first novel was adapted into a film and the audiences for Harry Potter and Twilight needed something else to follow. As it turns out, the new hero was Katniss Everdeen and this is her story.
The world has nearly been destroyed and a new country has taken shape. It’s name: Panem. The country is the United States, or what used to be the United States, and in place of states are districts. Twelve in all. The government is called the Capital and is overseen by President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Once a year, a male and a female representative from each of the 12 districts are chosen at random to compete in the Hunger Games. Eventually only one will emerge as the victor and will then live the rest of their lives in luxury. These games are televised to the entire country to see and it re-asserts the Capital’s dominance. We then meet our heroine, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who, when her sister is chosen, volunteers for the Hunger Games. The stage is set and Katniss is off the literally fight for her life.
There is, of course, much more to The Hunger Games than that, but I don’t want to ruin anything for anyone who hasn’t been exposed to the novels and/or films. Suffice it to say that there are a lot of politics in Suzanne Collins’ books and films, no doubt a result of things we all see and absorb via television every single day. The Hunger Games was one of the top grossing films of 2012 and the question of a sequel were answered in the opening weekend. Fans of the books will have long since seen this film and this Blu-ray review is coming late since this somehow got lost in the shuffle. Full with a great ensemble cast that includes Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks and Wes Bentley, The Hunger Games essentially has something for everyone. I’d keep the little ones away, but no doubt they’ll recognize Katniss regardless.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
The unprecedented success of The Hunger Games paved the way for this second installment in this series, and it shows no signs of slowing down. Fans of the novels will know that this is where, pardon the pun, the spark really starts. And star Jennifer Lawrence has been pretty busy since she first donned the bow and arrow and set the world on fire. Lawrence won a Best Actress Oscar for her work on Silver Linings Playbook, was nominated again for Best Supporting Actress in American Hustle and starred in this little film which happened to be the top grossing film of the year (surpassing even Iron Man 3). Suffice it to say, it’s got to be good to be Jennifer Lawrence. The Hunger Games showed that the film had legs and Catching Fire showed that this wasn’t just a flash in the pan. The series will wrap up with the forthcoming two part Mockingjay, but let’s take a look and see what’s happened to Katniss and Peeta since we last left them.
The Hunger Games have provided Panem with two victors: Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). In an act of defiance, these two have beat the odds and now stand to live their lives out in wealth and bliss. However, sensing that Katniss might represent a symbol of revolution, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) decides to use the 75th Hunger Games as an excuse to get rid of Katniss. In this third “Quarter Quell”, each district has to provide a male and female that have already won the Hunger Games. Suffice it to say that Katniss isn’t excited about this, having just survived the first time around. New gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) has a few tricks up his sleeve that will make these new games ones they won’t forget. With the threat of an impending revolution and Katniss the spark, will a revolution ensue or will these games douse the ‘girl on fire?’
A friend of mine told me, when asked, that “Catching Fire is just pure entertainment.” And it is. For those that have read the books (and I have), this is everything that we’d expect the movie to be and more. The cast of characters is a little broader, and older, the action more intense and the message a bit more political (this trend will continue). We’re treated to a more recognized ensemble cast with the likes of Amanda Plummer, Jena Malone, Phillip Seymour Hoffman (in one of his last performances) and Sam Claflin as well as some of the old faces that were present in the first. Though there’s a new director at the helm, Francis Lawrence (I am Legend, Constantine) it doesn’t really slow the pace down in the least. Catching Fire is exactly what you’d think it would be and the two and a half hour runtime seems to fly by. Again, this is everything you’d expect it to be – and more.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I
I think Harry Potter filmmakers were really onto something when they decided to turn Deathly Hallows into two parts. The book was nearly 700 pages long and, having read it twice, there was a lot of stuff going on. But as we all know, Hollywood is a business and their business is making money (and entertaining the masses). Harry Potter delivered the goods with ticket sales and it sparked the fire for other franchises to come. The Twilight Saga soon followed the blueprint, now the Hunger Games and soon the Divergent films will do the same (and others as well, I’m sure). I won’t criticize Hollywood for doing what they’re supposed to do, but it’s a double-edged sword when it comes the audiences. I’m in favor of getting it all out there in one shot – said and done. But I don’t run Tinseltown. Moving on, we’ve now reached the first part of the final installment of The Hunger Games – hell has broken loose, the country is on the verge of a Civil War and Katniss and Peeta have been separated. Life is good? Not quite.
Taking up right where Catching Fire left off we find Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) in the hands of District 13. Having been separated after the Quarter Quell from Peeta (Josh Hutchinson), Panem is in a state of disarray and on the verge of Civil War. Katniss, now in the capable hands of President Coin (Julianne Moore) and former Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), is the literal face of the revolution. The plan is to use Katniss to take her “spark” (so to speak) and use her in an elaborate Marketing plan. The ultimate goal is to unite the twelve Districts and rise up against the Capitol, thus ending the tyranny. Add to this that Peeta is now the face and voice of the Capitol – representing the ultimate in a conflict of interests. With the help of Betee (Jeffrey Wright), they’re able to tap into the Capitol’s network. The question is…will it work?
As I’d alluded to in the opening paragraph, this movie is merely a precursor to all of the “good stuff” that will happen in the final installment. Having read the novels by Suzanne Collins, there was a lot of material to cover in the book. While it would have been nice to have it all neatly wrapped up, I suppose there is some merit in having this spread out over the year. But much like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, all of the action will come to a head in Part II. Then again, we all know that. It’s nice to see Hoffman in his last role and if you want to talk about timing, seeing Julianne Moore in a starring role about a week after she won her Best Actress Oscar – I’m sure the studio is beaming! Good, solid performances abound and the film does set the stage well for the final part. Stay tuned…
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II
About five years ago I was going into withdraw. Yes, really. You see, the Harry Potter movies had just ended and, with that, a small part of me (and millions of others) died. What were we going to do? No more Hogwarts, Snape, Harry or the rest of the gang? Say it ain’t so! Thankfully author Suzanne Collins was channel surfing and came across a reality TV show (we’ll call it Survivor) and then flipped the to coverage of the conflict in Iraq. And then, like that, we had the story of Katniss and the saga of the Hunger Games. Like most of the teen-oriented films, it took place in a distant, dystopian future where the world had collapsed on itself and a new government had risen up and taken control. The United States was divided into 12 districts that, once a year, had to pay homage to the government that “saved” them by offering up a male and female to compete in a battle to the death where the victor would live a life of luxury. And that’s the way it went. That’s the story of the Hunger Games and this is how it ends.
Picking up right where the first installment ended, we meet Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) and Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) as well as a slew of others. The President of the rebellion, President Coin (Julianne Moore) is gearing up for a revolution and Katniss wants nothing more than to kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Katniss is the face of the revolution and the inspiration to the districts to rise up and fight the power. Now assigned to a small task force, Katniss, Peeta and a few others make their way to the Capitol to carry out their plans, but we all know it won’t be as easy as that. We’ve all seen this scenario before in every horror movie ever made – the group starts to dwindle and even with the help of trained military personnel, it’s looking more and more like their goal won’t come to fruition. And when or if it does, is there a more nefarious plan in the works?
A lot has happened in the years since we were first graced with The Hunger Games. Jennifer Lawrence won an Oscar for her role in Silver Linings Playbook as did co-star Julianne Moore for Still Alice. The film franchise made a mega star out of J Lew (can I call her that?) and while not quite at the Harry Potter level, this franchise has made a name for itself. But this too, now, is over. Looking back on the four films, I’d have to say that I liked them in descending order. I really enjoyed the purity of the first and most of the second, but after reading the books I found the third book (and last two films) far too political for my taste. I see what they were going for, but I was all about the action. Still, I was entertained and that’s the point of any film. Jennifer Lawrence is now a household name and this series made that possible. For those out there that haven’t had the chance to explore The Hunger Games, I’d recommend it. I also can’t help but wonder how many little girls out there are now named Katniss?
Video: How’s it look?
The set contains both a 4K and a Blu-ray version of each movie.
The Hunger Games
Stylistically, The Hunger Games features a variety of locales and looks for the film. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image is, of course, top notch with very little detracting from an outstanding picture. Colors are bold and deep in some scenes, the District 12 scenes appear bland, cold, grey and washed out – but that’s how it’s supposed to look. Detail is amazing, we can see the intricate beard of Senaca Crane, the whips of fire coming off Katniss’ dress and the blood and cuts of those less fortunate. This essentially looks like we’d think it would – amazing.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
As with the predecessor, the visual look and feel of this film is similar to The Hunger Games. This was the top-grossing film of 2013 and I think you know what I’m going to say – this looks the part. The 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image is simply spectacular in every way, shape and form. Detail is top notch, the locale of Hawaii used in the jungle sequence seems to resonate and heighten the mood, the various Districts all have their own unique look and feel as well. Flesh tones look normal and natural, we can see the beads of sweat, the drops of blood and everything in between in the film. Black levels and contrast work well off one another too. Simply put, this is stunning in regard to looks.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I
Dark, dank and mostly lacking color would be how I could best describe this transfer. On a technical level it looks the part, the 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image reeks of everything that we’d expect from a Blu-ray. The movie shows the aftermath of war and battle and it does so in a very convincing way. The smoldering ash, the scrapes and scratches on the actors’ faces are so lifelike that you can feel their pain. The limited scenes in the Capitol are vivid and bright with Ceasar’s purple ‘do taking front and center. Granted, this might be the most colorful film out there, but it looks how it was intended.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II
It’s kind of odd how the second installment of a film can have such a different look and feel to it visually. Quentin Tarantino did this with the Kill Bill movies, with the first being more “Asian” in nature and the second paying homage to the spaghetti Westerns, so it’s not totally unheard of. Still, the 2.39:1 HEVC 4K image seems to have a lot more color than its predecessor. Granted, it’s still dark, the actors are wearing black military-type outfits and the charred remains of the Capitol don’t exactly exude color. I found detail to be amazing. There’s a character who has been tattooed to look like a tiger (yes, really) and the detail is second to none. The texture in the fabric of Katniss’ outfit, and the grand landscape all combine for a very interesting and rich palette. It’s a perfect-looking transfer that’s sure to delight.
Audio: How’s it sound?
Similar to the video, the audio too is the same as found on each films’ disc. These range from Dolby True HD to Dolby Atmos to DTS X to DTS HD Master Audio. Here is a look at each film’s audio.
The Hunger Games
As if we couldn’t have guessed, the DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack is top notch. Vocals are spot on, rich and vibrant, the surrounds offer a variety of sounds, ranging from jungle ambiance to explosions and the clashing of swords. The LFE are pretty involved as well, offering a robust feel to some of the later scenes in the film. Overall it’s a very immersive soundtrack that doesn’t fail to deliver. There’s not a lot more I can say about this other than to turn it up and enjoy it. On the “odd” front, there’s also a Dolby Digital 2.0 mix that’s optimized for nighttime viewing. I don’t understand the concept behind this, but it’s there nonetheless.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Again, I don’t think there’s much out there that could really top the way this movie sounds. The robust DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack literally pulls no punches. Form the grand parade of participants, to the resonating score to the thuds and booms contained therein, this is one amazing sounding track! Vocals are rich and pure, we can hear the squeal of Katniss in a few scenes when in pain, the yelling of the other combatants and the ever so subtle score that sets the mood and tone. If you’ve seen The Hunger Games, and I have to assume anyone reading this has, then you’ll fully know what to expect here.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part I
There are a few instances in which the DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack really spreads its wings (sorry, I couldn’t resist). The audio, by and large, is mostly dialogue-driven which sounds clear and crisp. When Katniss sings the “anthem” you can hear the little cracks in her voice, desperate and sullen. It’s quite a moment, actually. Contrast this to some of the action-oriented sequences and it makes for quite a robust mix, but at the right times. This checks all the boxes, for sure.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part II
There are some movies out there that are just made for robust sound and this is one of them. Featuring a Dolby Atmos soundtrack, it’s down sampled to a Dolby TrueHD track for those that don’t have an Atmos receiver. This delivers on every level. Vocals are sharp and crisp, surrounds are used constantly and are always filled with action. The LFE get plenty of chances to flex their muscle and the front stage sports a strong track as well. The movie is an all out war and this sound mix really helps deliver the goods. Helicopters whizzing by, things blowing up, the thrill of the chase are all examples of how dynamic this mix is. It’s a perfect compliment to the reference-quality video.
Supplements: What are the extras?
We’ve got a lot of definition and detail in our review of the 4 Disc Collection. But here’s what to look for in this set.
- THE HUNGER GAMES
- Audio Commentary with Editor Stephen Mirrione, Visual Effects Supervisor Sheena Duggal, and Supervising Sound Editor Lon Bender
- Game Maker: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenon
- The World Is Watching: Making The Hunger Games
- Letters from the Rose Garden
- THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE
- Audio Commentary with Director Francis Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson
- “Surviving the Game: Making The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” Documentary
- Deleted Scenes
- THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY — PART 1
- Audio Commentary with Director Francis Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson
- “The Mockingjay Lives: The Making of MJ1” Documentary
- Straight from the Heart: A Tribute to Philip Seymour Hoffman
- Songs of Rebellion: Lorde on Curating the Soundtrack
- Lorde “Yellow Flicker Beat” Music Video
- Deleted Scenes
- THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY — PART 2
- “Pawns No More: Making The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2” — An 8-Part Documentary with an In-Depth Look at All Aspects of the Making of the Final Movie Including the Acting Ensemble, Visual and Costume Design, Special Effects, Post-Production, and More!
- The Hunger Games: A Photographic Journey
- Cinna’s Sketchbook: Secrets of the Mockingjay Armor
- Panem on Display: The Hunger Games: The Exhibition
- Jet to the Set (Blu-ray Only)
- Audio Commentary with Director Francis Lawrence and Producer Nina Jacobson
The Bottom Line
If you’re a fan of this series, this is probably already in your collection. Truthfully, the originally-released discs were pretty packed with supplements, so unless you feel the need to get that extra disc full of “goodies” then it might actually not be. Am I making sense?
