“May the odds be ever in your favor.” The odds of enjoying “The Hunger Games” film adaptation of the first book in the popular trilogy by Suzanne Collins were in fact, in the audience’s favor. “The Hunger Games” is set in a dystopian future where a totalitarian government instills fear into the citizens through an annual event called the Hunger Games.
The games were created as a way to suppress any hint of rebellion and keep a tight leash on the citizens of regions, called districts, of the country of Panem. One young man and woman from each of the twelve districts are selected each year to participate in the games. These tributes are forced to leave their homes and fight to the death in an arena while all of the other citizens watch.
The main character in the film, Katniss Everdeen, is a strong support system for her family. When her sister, Prim, is selected to enter the Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She demonstrates her bravery and dedication throughout the plot. The other district twelve tribute and main character, Peeta Mellark, has had emotional attachment to Katniss since they were young. The two become an almost invincible team by the end of the film.
With a fairly well known cast, including Oscar-nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, the acting in the film did not seem to be much of a concern. However, there was much nervous anticipation leading up to the film’s release due to the expectations built up by the exhilarating novels. The true question was whether the film would be quite as consumer grabbing as the books.
The technical aspects of the film were mostly spot-on. Jennifer Lawrence acted with the same raw emotion that nearly won her an award for “Winter’s Bone.” Immediately, she gave a realistic portrayal of the interaction between close sisters. Surprisingly, Lawrence did not have much chemistry with one of her two male co-stars, Liam Hemsworth. Both played their characters well, but the slight dependency on one another was not picked up on. Josh Hutcherson, who played Peeta Mellark, had noticeable chemistry with Lawrence and gave a convincing performance and displayed noticeable growth as an actor from when he was in “The Kids are Alright.”
Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks were able to bring lots of comedic relief to the film, but one could say it was almost too much. For such a dark plot, “The Hunger Games” was a bit too much of a bouncy screenplay. When completely necessary, though, Harrelson accurately portrayed a desperate character in pain.
The make up artist and set designer displayed their talent transforming people and a set into a whole different world. The location scout for the film did an excellent job as well. The production was filmed in a heavily wooded area of North Carolina. The make up, location, and set really helped make the viewer think they were viewing a very different, futuristic world.
As a whole, the film had some kinks to work out. However, these were things that can be fixed in the next films. Slight aspects were tweaked from the book, but the message of the film as a whole stayed true to the novel. If you enjoy a slightly twisted sci-fi-action-love story all rolled up into one, this film is a must-see.
