Viewing this film without any knowledge, expectation or interest of the previous books, written four years before the visual adaptations, The Hunger Games left me feeling relatively pleased and satisfied with my cinema experience.
Directed by Gary Ross and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games is set in the apocalyptic ruins of what was once North America where the immoral and ruthless government “Capitol” controls twelve surrounding districts with intense force and brutality.
Every year this twisted government force each of its districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games, a barbaric and merciless punishment for a past uprising and a continuous political intimidation tactic. The games are a nationally televised event where the “Tributes”, who have prepared for these games for most of their lives are launched into a bloody battle with one another until there is only one survivor remaining.
When Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) becomes the female candidate for District 12, after she bravely volunteers in place of her younger sister, Primrose (Willow Shields) she is transported to the distant “Capitol” to be gracefully primped, handsomely fed and showcased to the ruling government’s vast and colourful audience before being sent out into the battle arena. Here she encounters the totalitarian rule, social inequality and the sickening depths to which the media will plunge for the sake of engrossing the audience’s entertainment, forcing her to consistently resist the powers of the ruling authorisation.
To survive the Hunger Games, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts, exceptional skills with the bow and arrow and the mentorship of inebriated former victor, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson). For the chance to return home to District 12 and to be reunited with her family and friends she must make unimaginable choices in the battle arena that heavily balance survival against humanity and life against love.
The Hunger Games is a very solid and respectable film, that whilst is nowhere near perfect or original, still provides a very rewarding and satisfying movie experience. Gary Ross’s directing manages to establish individual character development abundantly aswell as keeping the plot firmly moving and remaining richly entertaining throughout.
Jennifer Lawrence delivers a composed main role performance as Katniss Everdeen as well as promoting a refreshing and inspirational female lead. Katniss is a tough, complex and hot-blooded survivor who a lot of women will respect and identify with, exerting stereotypically female qualities including caring, compassion and sharing, displaying that they are anything but weaknesses. Her performance is met with an equally brilliant supporting cast including Elizabeth Banks as the elegant but politically misguided District 12 PR representative, Effie Trinket, the eccentric Woody Harrelson as Katniss’s permanently drunk mentor and rocker Lenny Kravitz as the flamboyant stylist, Cinna.
The main story to an extent does divert into Sci-Fi territory, brandishing similar themes and traits to films including The Running Man, Battle Royale and Blade Runner. However what separates The Hunger Games to any of these previous titles is the presentation of this malicious and evil society from a teenager’s point of view and directed towards a teenage crowd, and with this age ranged audience, The Hunger Games will no doubt thrive upon and certainly impress.
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