In this article Christopher Orr, a senior editor and film critic for The Atlantic, writes an article on the second movie of The Hunger Games franchise, emphasizing the improvement over the first movie. He begins by critiquing the beginning scenes of the movie, commenting on the ability the movie has in capturing the real essence of Suzanne Collin's books, contrarily to the first movie. He then moves on to make a recapitulation of the first book and movie, setting up the background for the second movie: a girl who is sent as a tribute along with a boy from her district to fight for their lives. He reveals the conclusion of this first book where Katniss, the main character, is able to outsmart the Capitol by pretending to be madly in love with Peeta, the male tribute of her district. Orr moves onto the book portrayed by the recent movie, outlining the struggle Katniss must face to keep up the hoax of her "counterfeit" romance and choosing one of two paths: defying the Capitol or playing along with it. He continues by appealing to those who have read the books and are consiuos of Katniss' decisions which lead into the next book. He continues by deliberating on the minimal violence portrayed in the movie, commenting on the new, existential violence Katniss must bear through as her existence is now dictated upon the lies of the capitol. Furthermore, Orr comments on the aptitude of Lawrence, the new director of the franchise, for pulling the movie together and making it more concrete. Finally, he praises the actors who brought the new movie to life, especially highlighting the performance of Jennifer Lawrence and Philip Hofman whose performance brought a control and class to the movie.
This article is very well written, providing a succinct background which captures the essence of both books and movies, while deliberating an insightful critique of the movie. He is able to use the language to positively exploit the contents of the world-renown book. His language is effective, especially for his critical yet informative article. He structures his essay by creating a clear flow from background information to detailing the different aspects of the movie. He is able to entice the reader with an easy flow which although does not follow a specific thesis, is effective and well established. The tone he uses in his article is of accessibility with an almost conversational atmosphere singed with an undertone of sarcasm. This sarcasm is expressly seen when he comments, " Thus are the stakes set: Be a good girl and no one gets hurt (at least, beyond the customary pains and privations inflicted by the Capitol). Be a bad girl …" His article is well supported even though it is based on his personal opinion, for he is capable of arguing efficiently and in an unbiased manner. He uses several direct quotes from the movie itself along with utilizing pathos to appeal with followers of the franchise. The image used in this article was well chosen and supports his essay by capturing the essence of the movie and the sentimental aspect of it. Furthermore, the image also provides a glimpse into the movie which does not spoil it for those who haven't watched the movie yet gives it an identity by which it can be recognized. Overall, it was a well written article which deliberately appealed to the audience and was effective in doing so through its easy-to-follow flow and accessible language.
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/11/-em-catching-fire-em-a-leaner-hungrier-em-hunger-games-em/281747/
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