THE HUNGER GAMES Review

THE HUNGER GAMES Review

By Darin Skaggs

     “…And may the odds be ever in your favor.”  Yes, I know what an original way to start this review.  Anyway, this is my review of Gary Ross’ The Hunger Games.  This film is based on Suzanne Collins book series which, I have not read any of them yet.

     The film is about a country that has games in which they take two kids, one male one female, between the ages of 12 and 18 is forced to join a competition where the goal is to fight to the death.  The last one standing in this competition wins.  The lead in the film Katniss Everdeen, played wonderfully by Jennifer Lawrence, who lives in the 12^th and lowest district in the country volunteers in the Hunger Games after her sister’s name is drawn.  The film continues with Katniss’ journey to and during the games.

     If you have ever seen the film Winter’s Bone (also starring Lawrence) you would notice that this film starts out very similar.  She is poor, with a mother not doing everything she could do for her kids, no father figure present and then both of Lawrence’s characters end up making a sacrifice for her siblings.  This part of the film is well done such as the camera angles, the acting and story.  The film unfortunately goes downhill from there.

     As the story progresses the characters, including Peeta who is the male contender for District 12 start training for the games.  Along with that they are told that they need to suck up to the people in charge because this will get them bonus items during the game.  The entire game is a televised event.  The contestants are interviewed so people can get to know them and have a contestant to root for, much like reality shows of today like Survivor and The Amazing Race.  This game though is more heightened version of a reality show, but the audience doesn’t seem to treat it any different.  I would like a take the reality show world, but this movie has too many structure problems to get me on board with this idea of the dangers of reality TV.

     The biggest problem the film has is it seems to only be trying to satisfy the fans of the book series.  The director seemed to have researched what parts of the book the fans loved and focused heavily on filming those shots.  From what I’ve heard the people who read the book love the movie, but to people like me who have not read the books do not enjoy it as much.  The people who read the book have the whole story, but the people who haven’t don’t know all the points and themes of the book.  Gary Ross made a film to satisfy the book’s fans and not a film on its own.

     Another thing about the film that bothered me was the lack of character development.  I’m not sure how much we get to know all the contestants in the book but mostly all of them besides Katniss and Peeta have no or little character development in the movie.  This would not bother me if later when they die we suddenly have to care about them or be glad they’re dead because they were a threat to our protagonist.

     For a more positive note, all the acting is great.  As I said Jennifer Lawrence is great as well as all the other younger actors.  The older actors are great as well.  Other things are good about the film such as the special effects.  They look good for the most part as well do the sets look good.

     The Hunger Games is not a terrible film; it’s not even a bad film.  It is just not a fully realized film.  With this being said I am very optimistic to see where this series goes.  Despite the problems I have with the film I enjoy the story and the possibilities of where it can go.