I know it's been forever since I've updated this thing, but, after seeing a movie this outstanding, I couldn't remain silent.
It was over a year ago I read the entire Hunger Games series, and since then, I had been dying to see the movies.
Looming questions plagued my every thought about the budding movie franchise. Were they going to ruin it? How would Lionsgate pull it off? Why the hell did they cast Lenny Kravitz?
After seeing the film, I can tell this: it's worth the hype.
For those uninitiated with the series, here's what's going on...
It's the future. Picture a post-apocalyptic North America, where the continent has been split into 13 Districts (which is now called Panem), run by The Capital. District 13 rebels and the nation is in a state of civil unrest. The insurgence is crushed by the Capital, and District 13 is laid to waste for its impudence. Since then, every year they hold The Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death where each District (1-12) sends a boy and girl aged between 12-18 to honor the sacrifices made by the Capital. (NOTE: This is all explained in the books, but not exactly told explicitly in the movie...you're welcome.)
We come in 74 years later. Panem is still run by the Capital -- specifically by President Snow (played eerily and brilliantly by Donald Sutherland). Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence), who clearly has a constant problem with authority, illegally poaches in the outskirts of District 12 (the mining district) with her life-long friend Cale (played by Liam Hemsworth, younger brother of Thor's Chris Hemsworth) Today is the Reaping Day, where we find out who is picked for this year's Hunger Games.
Much to Katniss' surprise, her 12-year-old sister Primrose (played by Willow Shields, who, if they keep her on and stay true to the books, will have a much larger role later) is chosen as a tribute. To ensure her younger sister's life, Katniss does the unthinkable: she volunteers as a tribute. Peeta Mellark (played by Josh Hutcherson) is chosen as the male tribute.
Katniss and Peeta are then whisked off to the Capital to prepare them for the games. Effie Trinket (played brilliantly by Elizabeth Banks) aiding with etiquette and style and Haymitch Abernathy (played by Woody Harrelson) coaching on skills for the games themselves, Katniss and Peeta begin to realize they may be out of their league even before the games begin.
The film has garnered a bad reputation of being the next Twilight. This couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, it centers around a female and a love triangle emerges later in the books (look for Team Peeta and Team Gale shirts and posters soon), but that's it! No more similarities, folks!
Katniss, unlike Bella, is more concerned with her life's purpose and survival, not with whom she wants to have intimate relations with. Katniss is strong and has a personality. Gale doesn't bitch and turn into a giant poochie. And Peeta sure as hell doesn't sparkle.
While the likes of Lawrence, Hutcherson, Sutherland, and Harrelson put in excellent performances, it's hard to ignore the supporting cast. Stanley Tucci puts in a stellar, scene-stealing performance as Caesar Flickerman, the color commentator for the Hunger Games. Wes Bentley is dragged out of obscurity again to play gamesmaster Seneca Crane (who has a MUCH larger role in the movie than he did in the book). And Lenny Kravitz makes his acting debut as Cinna, Katniss' stylist who helps her garner the nickname "The Girl who Was On Fire".
Director/co-writer Gary Ross (Seabiscuit, Pleansantville) obviously wanted to make a reverent adaptation. He brought on series creator Suzanne Collins as a co-writer and producer, and ran every new scene by her to ensure it earned her stamp of approval. This series, unlike the aforementioned popular teen series, took its sweet time coming to the big screen, and the results are electric.
Beautiful cinematography, spot-on acting, and characters you actually care about are all featured in this epic-in-the-making. The action sequences are breath-taking, but it holds back when it needs to be more emotional. It's almost a compact version of everything we loved about The Lord of the Rings without being ostentatious.
I'm usually very guarded when they make my favorite books into movies. But The Hunger Games failed to disappoint. The purists will see subtle differences between the book and the movie, but the differences are so minuscule it's difficult to raise a fuss about with a straight face. The only disappointing thing about this is the knowledge that book 2 Catching Fire does not have a production or release date as of yet.
FINAL VERDICT: Whether you're a fan of the books or simply a fan of good movies, The Hunger Games will leave you thirsting for more.
