Movie Review: 'The Hunger Games'

Before you write-off “The Hunger Games” as bubblegum tween trash – think again. Based off of the first book in Suzanne Collins’s hugely popular trilogy, “The Hunger Games” has the potential to be the next big hit that attracts everyone – girls, boys, and adults alike. It’s a unique occurrence when a movie like this is able to break through being called “good for the fans” and emerge as just good, in general. And “The Hunger Games” is more than just good. Is it a perfect movie? No. The ending is rushed and the camerawork can’t help but feel a bit obvious as it rattles and shakes in an attempt to show us the violence without actually showing us (it is a PG-13 movie, after all). But when you enlist talent such as Stanley Tucci, Woody Harrelson, and Donald Sutherland, along with Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence as the lead, one thing is for certain: you’re aiming for quality, not for just “good-enough.”

In the future, modern civilization and what we know as North America has been destroyed, leaving in its place the nation of Panem, which is separated into 12 districts and is ruled by a corrupt, totalitarian government called the Capitol. The members of the Capitol treat the citizens of Panem like puppets that exist for their entertainment. After an uprising that happened years ago, the Capitol created something to ensure that the citizens never rebel again: The Hunger Games -- where one male and one female tribute between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen at random to fight to the death on live TV, with only one able to emerge as the victor. When Katniss Everdeen’s (Lawrence) feeble little sister Prim (Willow Shields) is chosen as one of the tributes, Katniss heroically volunteers to take her place in the kill-or-be-killed battle. Let the games begin!

You would think that once the Games kick off that it would be non-stop, mind-blowing action until the last frame, but the first half is surprisingly more engaging than the second half; It introduces us to the world of Panem, and more impressively, nails each of the small supporting characters that were so memorable in the book. Elizabeth Banks and Stanley Tucci steal every scene they’re in as Effie Trinket and eccentric TV host Caesar Flickerman, respectively. They may not have a heap of screen time, but the energetic creepiness that they exude does exactly what it does in the book: it makes you temporarily forget (and then remember again) that these characters are essentially villains, no matter how much they smile or how garish and candy-colored their appearances are. Haymitch, a former winner of the games, is funny and volatile in the hands of Woody Harrelson.


But if there's one thing that makes this movie soar, it's Jennifer Lawrence’s incredibly captivating performance as Katniss Everdeen. Lawrence’s Katniss is a heroine worth rooting for (finally!); she has real gumption, strength and a certain fire that shines behind that stoic façade that draws us to her. And she certainly looks at home with her dark hair in Katniss’ signature braid and a bow slung over her shoulder.

When the characters finally enter the arena, it’s tension-filled, but also oddly calm. Think “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One.” There is so much at stake, yet there are still those moments that linger without much action to back it up. Though to counter this, the scenes that do bring the chaos bring it at us full-throttle -- especially one involving the powerful hallucinogen effect brought on by a swarm of bee-type creatures called “Tracker-Jackers.”

With a book as popular as “The Hunger Games,” it’s always going to be a near impossible task to satisfy everyone. Die-hard fans may bemoan the slightly less-pronounced romance between Katniss and Peeta (played with quite charisma by Josh Hutcherson), and will nitpick the necessary changes until their dying days. But all in all, the source-material is spectacularly brought to life in this wonderful and faithful adaptation that is awash with chill-inducing moments and a determination to never sacrifice the emotion of the situation. The odds of you loving "The Hunger Games" will be ever in your favor.

Rating: A-