Happy Hunger Games - May the Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

Rating: 9/10 (22 March 2012)

In the ruins of what once known was North America, lies the futuristic nation of Panem. In the center of the country is the wealthy Capitol, inhabited by lavish-clothed citizens. Surrounding the rich Capitol is twelve outlying districts, each having a different industry and supplying materials for the Capitol. Some of the districts are wealthy (District 1: Luxury, District 2: Masonry, District 4: Fishing), while some are dead-poor (District 11: Agriculture, District 12: Coal mining).
Before the film begins, the 13 districts fought with the Capitol, resulting in catastrophe, but eventually the Capitol won. The aftermath: the 12 districts were forced to annually give in a male and female between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in the Hunger Games; the participants are called "tributes". The 13th District was, unfortunately, obliterated by the Capitol (sort of).
Our heroine is sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen who comes from the poor District 12. She's received tesserae to meet the needs of her suffering family, in exchange for getting her name added additional times for the "Reaping" (the time when the names of the participants are randomly picked). When her sister's, Primrose Everdeen, name is unexpectedly drawn during the reaping (despite the fact that her name was only there for once), Katniss volunteers to take her place and enter the Hunger Games, a TV show which forces 24 "tributes" to fight to the death as a reminder to the rebellion 74 years ago.
The heart of Panem, the Capitol is where the "tributes" undergo training (Katniss and Peeta have drunken Haymitch) and several interviews. Here, everything looks different from District 12. "The showers are different" (as Peeta says), the buildings are more colorful and the people there are lavishly-clothed. The citizens of the Capitol don't join the Games but they do are responsible for giving sponsors: some sort of gift received by the "tribute" during the Games. The sponsors depend on their opinions and these opinions usually depend on the "tributes'" scores given by the Gamemakers; each of the "tributes" are evaluated by the Gamemakers based on their skills and the higher the scores, the more likely chance they're going to get sponsors. After the evaluation, we get the interviews hosted by the eccentric Caesar Flickerman, and the Games begin in 3 ... 2 ... 1.
The 24 "tributes" run at once in different directions, some to the tempting backpacks filled with valuable items, some clashing to kill some "tributes", some escaping to the wild.
Pushing the PG-13 rating to its fullest, the Games do involve blood and some deadly kills. While Katniss and Peeta are relatively quiet, some of the Careers ("tributes" who spent their entire lives practicing for the Games) are very brutal especially Cato of District 2. The Careers form a pack to kill the other "tributes" first before they kill each other until only one remains.
"The Hunger Games" is often compared to the "Twilight" films. They may have a similarity (a love triangle which places Katniss in the middle of Gale and Peeta), but the main focus of the film is not the love triangle. Katniss originally loved Gale but because of the "Reaping", Katniss allied with Peeta Mellark. That's basically what the love triangle covers. The love triangle is only a piece in a larger plot set in the dystopian future surrounding the Hunger Games.
The film has an excellent cast. Putting Jennifer Lawrence as our heroine Katniss Everdeen is nothing but perfect. Coming off from an Oscar nomination two years ago, she's one to rise into super stardom. Her performance here is very convincing and very powerful that she deserves an Oscar right there on the spot. Her ability to show rage, nervousness, fear, determination, sadness, is just very spellbinding. John Hutcherson is also one not to be missed. His portrayal of Peeta Mellark is convincing also, being able to display nervousness, and fear. The others were also excellent: Alexander Ludwig plays Cato viciously, and brutally; Woody Harrelson plays the drunk Haymitch perfectly; Stanley Tucci portrays Caesar Flickman with charisma and style; Elizabeth Banks depicts Effie Trinket with meticulous details.
The action is another thing the movie excels in. Although there might have not been a lot of intense explosions or "Kabooms!", the moments that take place in the Arena are thrilling likewise. The fight is not about action but more about hunting and survival skills. Katniss is relatively quiet, unlike the Careers who are more excited about getting into a fight where they are able to snap people's necks.
The film is based on a novel, a novel I enjoyed immensely. With the author Suzanne Collins also playing a part in writing the screenplay, the movie is faithful to the book's contents. Although there are slight alterations, there are no major alterations that might change the course of the plot (such as "Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief"). Anyone who has read the books will be pleased with how Gary Ross transformed the book into this film. Not a fan of the books, no problem, you can still enjoy this film. In other words, anyone can enjoy the film.
Rating: 9/10
Final Verdict: "The Hunger Games" is an action-packed drama that lives up to its massive hype and can be enjoyed by anyone.