Riveting storyline and authentic characters

Rating: 9/10 (15 February 2013)

First of all, I have not read the books. Watching a film after reading the book can be nothing but disappointing. A book has so much more opportunity to give the story and the characters depth and background. When that fails to transfer to the screen, I am always disappointed. After hearing so much about this film, I didn't want to spoil it by reading the book first.
I don't know that any Director other than Gary Ross could have made this film. It is unique to any movie I have ever seen that seemingly targets the teen/young adult audience. For one thing, the language is clean. I find that utterly refreshing. There is no salacious sexual contact or even innuendo. I also find that refreshing. The attention to allowing each actor/actress to bring their own kind of 'life' to the character is without comparison in other movies of this target audience.
As for the actors/actresses, I find the casting absolutely without fault. Who could have been Cinna if not Lenny Kravitz? He is the one person Katniss and Peeta meet in the Capital who seems like a compassionate and real person. He is integral to the development of Katniss as a warrior with a heart.
Liam Hemsworth has a small role, but brings an influence to the film that is present with every scene because he leaves his quiet message of love for Katniss. Even in the late scenes where it seems Katniss is developing this romantic relationship with Peeta, brief glances at Hemsworth's face reveal his depth of love for Katniss. His pain is evident when seeing her kissing Peeta, yet he has only smiles when she returns home. He loves her and she survived and that is what is important.
Jennifer Lawrence' portrayal of Katniss is cinematic perfection. She is a courageous and loving young woman who faces her worst fears with integrity and compassion for others in her lot. She is vulnerable, yet tough; caring yet determined to stay alive; full of fear yet completely confident and resolved. Jennifer Lawrence IS Katniss Everdeen.
I don't do a lot of movies targeted for this audience, so I wasn't readily familiar with Josh Hutcherson. My first impulse was a complete dislike of the character. However, as the film progressed and Peeta opens up, I liked him more and more. He is complicated, not easily readable so you are unsure as to where he stands. That can be both a good thing and a bad one. In my opinion, Josh Hutcherson parlayed that quality into a definite advantage for his character.
I don't generally enjoy Woody Harrelson, but I must say his interpretation of Haymitch won me over. The seething angry drunk in the beginning somewhat confirmed my presumptions about both Harrelson and Haymitch. However, as the film advanced and Haymitch became more human, I found myself enjoying Harrelson's portrayal very much. It seems he suddenly became a responsible adult with real compassion for his protégé. By the end of the film, Haymitch had actually become one of my favorites.
Then, of course, you have Donald Sutherland. Is there any role Donald Sutherland cannot play and do so with absolute success? If there is, I don't think I know of that character. He is a consummate professional with depth and abilities rare and difficult to find. I don't always like his characters, but I always enjoy his portrayal because he is always on the mark.
My last observation would be about choice of locations for the shooting of the film. I cannot imagine that anywhere else on earth would have been more perfect. The Appalachain Mountains of North Carolina lend a haunting effect to the hunt that few other locations could have. It was so much more enjoyable to see the forest and hear the sounds of the forest than to see blue screen adaptations to make it appear like a forest. The authenticity was a remarkable addition to the entire film.
When I first decided to watch this film it was quite honestly due to the fact that Liam Hemsworth was in it. If you're gonna look at something, it should be something enjoyable and stimulating to look at. No woman in the world would honestly say that Hemsworth was not both enjoyable and stimulating to look at. However, the experience became so much more than that. I would watch this movie over and over again because the story is riveting, the acting makes the characters believable, the location is stunning and the casting and directing are without flaw. That's a full package in my book and I'm happy I watched. I will most definitely be waiting to see if #2 can bear the standard set by #1.