The Hunger Games. I never read the book or the series of books this movie is based on, so I cannot say how faithful the movie is to the book. I’m sure the book went into the characters we only saw on the screen for a few moments during the movie in much deeper depth and explanation. It’s been my experience these movies always do.
A future apocalypse has destroyed much of the US around 73 years before the events in this story and the territory in which this takes place in has been divided into 12 districts. I assume it’s the US because as I remember the movie never really states whether this is a global thing or a specific continent or area. This is brilliant for marketing and selling the story as a “this could be my country” thing. Every year, children from each area have to enter themselves into a lottery drawing to see which male and which female will represent their district in “The Hunger Games”. A televised reality show where contestants are released into a heavily “camera-ed” forest and forced to kill each other using their wits and anything they pick up or are given along the way. There can be only one “winner” of the gruesome annual event. And of course, the “games” are somewhat rigged, or at least things are steered a certain way as the director seems fit.Good points about the movie to me.
· The movie flows very well. I felt the story moved along well.
· The inevitable comparisons to movies and stories like “The Running Man” and “The Truman Show” are valid to a certain extent. But this movie stands on its own.
· Though I prefer Richard Dawson’s “game show host” over Stanley Tucci’s, Tucci does a good job. There really isn’t a bad apple in the whole movie acting wise. Wes Bentley (American Beauty and other movies I can’t recall at this moment) is good as the show’s producer or director. His detailed facial hair nearly steals every scene he’s in though- hahaha!!
· Jennifer Lawrence’s character (Catniss or Katniss) is believable. Her character in this movie is NOT a bad ass- which is refreshing to me- but just good enough to survive. She’s not overly clever or lucky like so many of these characters are or can be.
· The rest of the ensemble is good. Elisabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson do a very good job.
· There is a very sweet, toughing death scene in the movie that came very close to being successful to me.
· A very interesting exhibit of how people will look and dress in the future. Like a colorful “Wizard of Oz” like style to me.
Problems I had with the movie?
· I never felt the main character was in any danger. To me, it was more or less “how will “they” get her out of these predicaments so she can make it towards the end. I can think of only once where this predictable premise was tossed on its ass (Game of Thrones).
· VERY Twilight-y – Which isn't really a bad thing to the millions of others who will see this film. I assume the series targets the same age/ people as the Twilight series does. I think the Asheville, NC area scenery to do with it (which I like). The teen love aspect/ triangle the story presents is very familiar very Twilight-ish, if you will. This will be a positive for many goers
· With all the strict food rationing (you get your name entered more times in the “death lottery” the more food you get) and the poverty all around, the starving people seem to be able to have cable TV.
· The “bad guys” or “evil side” evidently won the conflict that resulted in the post-apocalyptic events that occurred 74 years or so before the time frame of this movie/story. Why would they do this - have an annual televised child killing as ‘tribute” to the victors of the conflict?
· I know WHY Lawrence’s character did what she did at the end of the “game”. I just feel it was inconsistent with how I felt the character was developing and she could have dealt the people who conduct “the games” a fatal blow and possibly continue and fuel anti games sentiment. She didn’t choose this route and to me, didn’t make sense to her state of mind at the “end” of the game.
All in all, I recommend this movie. While I wouldn’t want to see it again in a theater, I would like to see a sequel. I feel they could take the story in a couple of directions and deal with a lot of loose ends and things set up in this movie. The theater at the midnight showing I attended was nearly full. And obviously fans of the book or series.I give it 8 out of 10 if ya care.
What say you?
