Westside Steve Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 The Hunger Games Lionsgate PG 13 142 min Subject: First of all, there have been comparisons drawn between THE HUNGER GAMES and the TWILIGHT SAGA. The only valid similarities I see are these, The books and films are wildly popular with young women, and the protagonists are female. In the case of the hunger games I have actually read the books and, well, didn't like them. It seems to me that there was not nearly enough story to fill up 14 for so hours of reading. Fortunately there is plenty to fill up a couple hours of movie time. THE HUNGER GAMES is a post-apocalyptic action thriller (as opposed to a gothic teen vampire romance) that owes much to Norman Jewison's ROLLERBALL. “It was never meant to be a game!!” Many years ago the citizens of Panem rose up against, and were subsequently crushed by the tyrannical government. The hunger games themselves or put in place not only as punishment but also to constantly remind the people of the futility of revolt. Every year two children, a boy and a girl, are selected at random from each of the 12 district. After training and many media showcases in the glamorous capital city the participants are transported a controlled wilderness battleground where they will fight to the last survivor. The natural and unnatural pitfalls of the arena are just as deadly as the opponents and are all manipulated by the government gamekeepers. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) lived with her mother and young sister in the impoverished district 12. Her skills with bow and arrow and knowledge of the wild allow her to poach a little meat from the restricted area and barter for a few necessities. When her 12year old sister is selected for the games Katniss volunteers to go in her stead. These games are more than just a competition; they are the number one rated TV show across the country and especially in the opulent pampered capital. Katniss and Peeta (Josh Hutchinson) the baker’s son will also need to compete for the favor of the sponsors who may send gift of tools medicine or food to the battle ground. Helping them prepare for this is a PR mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrellson) the former district 12 champion and now embittered drunk. From here it’s action and intrigue with a side of romance and just a dash of anti-establishment morality. It all works even better with the fat of the original work trimmed away. The few elements glossed over for expedience sake aren’t necessary to the story as a whole. Oh and one big difference from TWILIGHT? The acting here is pretty damn good with even Harrellson turning in a fine and well-cast performance. I actually thought the books went downhill from the first volume so it will be interesting to see how the next couple installments translate to screen. Stay tuned. B WSS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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