Entertainment

The 'Catching Fire' Trailer Needs More Finnick

by Maitri Suhas

When I heard the Hunger Games: Catching Fire trailer was premiering tonight at Comic-Con San Diego, I felt like this:

But after watching it, I am... utterly underwhelmed. (See the trailer for yourself here.) So far, I'm guessing I am pretty alone on this one — the Internet is LOVING the new trailer. But at first watch, it immediately seems like it's a lot of same old, same old from The Hunger Games.

That said, the second installment in the Hunger Games series looks significantly more blockbuster-worthy. The set designs, graphics, and costumes are obviously on a much larger scale than the first film. But, as a lover of the book trilogy, I feel like the Catching Fire trailer blazed over a lot of the plot points that set the second book apart: the Quarter Quell twist, the faux relationship between Peeta and Katniss, and beautiful tribute Finnick Odair. (Even though I'm still not satisfied with the casting of Finnick, I still want some eye candy in a teaser trailer.)

In fact, there was very little of the other tributes at all, which, as other readers of the Hunger Games series know, are the focus of Catching Fire — the bonds between the tributes from different districts play a huge role in the second book. We do get one wicked shot of Enobaria baring her teeth, which is terrifying. But that's it?

Also, what's with the very brief glimpse of the arena? I want more of the underwater deathtrap set up for the tributes! Likely, there will be a release of another trailer before Catching Fire's Nov. 22 release date — and thank goodness, because Saturday's debut trailer was too much teaser, not enough fire for me.