The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Expertly executed without a dull stretch, despite an elongated running time, the second instalment based on Suzanne Collins's bestselling dystopian fantasy trilogy is a top-flight escapist adventure. Noble games victor Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is now a beacon of hope for rebellion, so President Snow (Donald Sutherland) forces her back to the arena to fight other, more experienced winners, expecting her to be crushed along with any simmering revolution. Everything is bolder, bigger and better in this enthralling segment: the spectacle channels Ben-Hur, the tropical combat zone is a thrilling tangle of exciting traps and plot twists, and the designer fashion is higher than before, with a terrific Lawrence as its catwalk Cleopatra. Additional heavyweight support comes from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright and Amanda Plummer, with director Francis Lawrence (Constantine, I Am Legend) blending all the necessary ingredients - exotic jeopardy, clever CGI effects work, raw emotion - into a beguiling whole that deftly anticipates the next episode. Just one warning: for those unfamiliar with the first instalment, a bit of prep will aid your enjoyment.