Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping first reaction: is it good?

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is a strong addition to the franchise, and Joseph Zada's young Haymitch carries it. Francis Lawrence returns to direct his second prequel, and after the last prequel showed how Snow became the monster he was, this one tells how Haymitch became the man Woody Harrelson made famous in the original films. Given how popular the book was, I was very curious to see how it would turn out.

Joseph Zada carries Haymitch's story in Sunrise on the Reaping

Zada is a star. It's a long movie, though it doesn't feel long, and he's in it throughout. Some movies jump back and forth to give other characters their moments. This is Haymitch's movie from start to finish, and Zada gives you the cadence of Woody Harrelson while making his own choices. He is the standout.

He's surrounded by amazing actors, including Jesse Plemons and Elle Fanning. The cast, including Kieran Culkin, inherits roles first played by Stanley Tucci and Jeffrey Wright, and those are big shoes to fill. I think everybody fills them.

Sunrise on the Reaping: dark tone, familiar arena

This is not a feel-good epic. Haymitch goes through a lot, and you feel the emotion. That's what I like about these movies: they don't shy away from the emotion and the darkness behind it. Lawrence gets the Hunger Games world, and you can tell he likes building on it.

The games themselves feel familiar: if you've seen one Hunger Games arena, you've seen them all, and a couple of times it felt like maybe they could have added more, or maybe I was missing more of the games themselves. I think the movie does a good job with everything around the games, what it means and how it ties the franchise together. Overall, I was locked into this movie from start to finish, and I think that's down to Zada, Lawrence and the supporting cast.

Hunger Games viewing order for newcomers

I think a newcomer can watch the last prequel first, then this one, then the originals to get the lore. You might not catch the same connections a longtime fan would, but I think this could be an interesting one to start with.

Verdict: I'm up for another Hunger Games movie after Sunrise on the Reaping

People who like The Hunger Games in general are going to love this movie, and some might think it's one of the best ones. Sometimes a franchise makes you think it should be put to bed. Not this one. This was a good addition to the Hunger Games, and I'm up for another one.