Books vs. Movies “Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
Hunger Games second book, “Catching Fire”, is about Katniss’s life after surviving the games. Because she won, along with Peeta, they both have mansion sized houses compared to the rest of their districts, but now they must go on their “Victor’s Tour”. Traveling to each district Katniss and Peeta must put their love affair back into place, but as they travel they realize the trouble the are really causing, because a rebellion has started. After they return from the tour, the plan for the next games is revealed. Every 25 years the Hunger Games has an awful twist and since this year will mark the 75th, President Snow makes sure that he stays in control with a very cruel change in the 75th Hunger Games.
— Before you read know there WILL be spoilers! —
Compared to other books I’ve read I can say that this movie did pretty good inserting many things from the book, but compared to the original “Hunger Games” it didn’t do as great. Now, just because I say that doesn’t mean that it was bad, because I can assure you that it indeed was very well put together, but there will still quite a few differences. In the first book, “The Hunger Games” I forgot to mention that Peeta had to get his leg amputated(post games) because of both Cato and the dog/wolves, and this alone lead to differences in the movie.
In the book, when Peeta and Katniss had to reenter the games, Peeta couldn’t out run the fog simply because of his leg, so one of our new characters Finnick had to carry him on his back(because how could you leave Peeta). Yet, in the movie, he wasn’t as much carried as dragged. Now this isn’t a big difference, but we have to start somewhere.
Also one of the bigger differences had to also do with Peeta. Peeta, as a bakers son, had learned the skill of frosting. So from this Peeta had become an excellent painter. On the tour Peeta wanted to show Katniss his “skill” which was painting. While, from the description, his paintings were very detailed, but one problem was that the paintings were of the Games. He drew Rue, Katniss’s ally, he drew the landscape, but he also drew Katniss. His drawings came from his ongoing nightmares that have happened ever since the Games, but you’d think something this valuable would be included in the movie right? Guess not.
The biggest problem for me was that there were 2 whole characters in the book that weren’t mentioned in the movie. Two women from District 8 were attempting to run away from the rioting in there home, and they got all the way to District 12, Katniss’s District. Katniss, while wondering in the woods, found that an old cottage was being occupied. Taking precautions she discovered the two ladies, and they told her something remarkable. They told her that they were trying to escape to District 13, but the thing is that District 13 got destroyed in the first uprising 75 years ago. So consuming this information she decided to help the ladies. In the end of the book it turns out the women were right, and while the ladies didn’t escape the fire themselves, Katniss discovered that after her 2nd round of the Games, District 13 was going to be her saving grace. Now, District 13 was introduced in like the last 5 minutes of the movie, but neither ladies were included. This was definitely the biggest chunk left out of the movie.
Otherwise, I would have to say that the movies are still doing pretty good. I love how the movie portrays everything, and how much detail is put into all the visuals. If you read the first book I would highly recommend reading the second one too.
