Enamored fans return for the second installment of “The Hunger Games.”

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” proved to be even better than the extremely popular “The Hunger Games.” Audiences are in for a real treat.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) return with smoother footage and easier scenes for the squeamish movie-goer.

This film has the perfect balance between too gruesome and not gory enough. The first installment had some of the audience shielding their eyes during the scene with Everdeen’s crisply burnt and bloody leg. Contrary to that experience, “Catching Fire” has scenes gruesome enough for those who enjoy them, yet they don’t overwhelm those who dislike such scenes.

One of the major weaknesses of “The Hunger Games” was its extremely shaky camera footage. When a character fell down a hill tumbling head over heels, the audience did as well. “Catching Fire” eliminates the largest weakness of its predecessor by having smoother camera footage that still keeps the audience involved.

The only weakness in this film that is sorely obvious, and yet for some may be a positive aspect, is the time crunch present for the most action-packed segment of the movie.

The first part of the movie, which focuses on the aftermath of the previous installment, takes up a little over half of the allotted movie time. It proceeds at a leisurely pace that contrasts the latter half of the film.

The second half of the film seems very rushed. Scenes that should be separate are interwoven to save time, and the end of the movie seems like an afterthought.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” stars Lawrence, Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, and Elizabeth Banks. It is based on Suzanne Collins’ “The Hunger Games” trilogy, and is the second film in the series. It has a runtime of 146 minutes and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some frightening images, thematic elements, a suggestive situation, and language.