Lawrence ignites

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” the multi-million dollar sequel to 2012’s blockbuster “The Hunger Games,” may seem like a big-budget part two that was hurried into production and the theaters after the flyaway success of its predecessor.

But, in actuality, the sequel is to “The Hunger Games” what “The Empire Strikes Back” is to “A New Hope.” It’s a bolder, bigger and altogether darker adventure that ups the ante on almost every front.

This comes on the heels of a leadership shake-up as Gary Ross, who helmed “The Hunger Games,” declined to direct the sequel. Francis Lawrence (“I Am Legend,” “Water for Elephants”) was brought in to take the reins.

Lawrence, who is not related to his leading lady, brings his big-budget chops to the table and shapes “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” into the epic it needed to be.

After surviving the 74th annual Hunger Games, victors Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are touring the districts of Panem and unintentionally inciting rebellion among the dystopian’s citizens, worrying the Capitol and its oppressive leader, President Snow (Donald Sutherland). In District 11, an elderly man raises three fingers to honor his district’s fallen tribute and is gunned down in the street.

Lawrence, the 23-year-old Oscar winner and acting wunderkind, forgoes merely playing Katniss and instead embodies her, never for second letting us know she’s acting.

The key is that Lawrence recognizes Katniss is often a quite unlikable character. She doesn’t want to be somebody too many people rely on, let alone a hero. She’s pigeonholed by almost everyone, even by those who want to help her, and she resists it at every turn. A less apt actress might have focused too heavily on making Katniss likable. Instead, Lawrence makes her relatable.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is also such a success because of its intelligent screenplay, a joint effort from Oscar winners Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt, who never belittle the young adult novel source material. It’s the same reason the “Harry Potter” films translated so well. The books may be shelved in the young adult section, but their themes and characters are more fleshed out than those in their sparkly, vampire-inhabited counterparts.

Comparisons are hardly fair, but we can thank our lucky stars that “The Hunger Games” saga is headed more in the direction of “Harry Potter” than “Twilight.”

The sequel shows that director Lawrence is not afraid of letting these movies get dark and introspective. After all, these are films about children who are sent to fight to the death. “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” serves its exact purpose, which is to leave you amped and hungry for the next installment.