A great movie with a mediocre ending

Rating: 8/10 (25 March 2012)

People seem to apply a superlative and exclamation point on anything they're interested in. "This is the coolest thing you've ever seen!" "This is the best thing ever!" As with general statements like these, anticipated movies have their reputation of being over-hyped. The most recent culprit of this clichÃ© paradigm is "The Hunger Games," which was made out to be the film that replaced Harry Potter and Twilight as the teen sensation of motion pictures.
The films starts out as many films tend to do. It shows us the grim ghetto of District 12 and the poverty lifestyle that its inhabitants experience. The setting is beautiful, including memorable environments like a lush forest and a futuristic metropolis. The film does a great job of sucking you into its world. Everything from the flashy costumes of the wealthy to the miracle, fast-fixing medicine fits perfectly.
Katniss Everdeen, one of the residents of District 12, is an independent, strong provider for her family. She's a great hunter, a clever intellectual, and shows affection only for her little sister. Jennifer Lawrence does a superb job in capturing Katniss' emotional traumas that she experiences throughout the film. After her sister is chosen as tribute for an annual violent show known as "The Hunger Games," Katniss volunteers to take her sister's place.
The contestants that get screen time do relatively great in their roles. Josh Hutcherson is a treat to watch as Peeta, who seamlessly transforms from a scared boy, to an enthusiastic participant, and finally to the love interest of Katniss. Woody Harrellson is hilarious as the ex-champion of the Hunger Games and Katniss' aid.
The action scenes in this movie are filmed in a shaky cam perspective(Cloverfield, Blair Witch, Chronicle), and although it's vastly more realistic, it's also distracting at times and annoying. Sometimes I just want to see what's happening, not just take a guess. It's not as bad later in the film, but it's still irritating. The action is intense and bloody, albeit for a PG-13 movie. One scene in particular, the start of the Hunger Games, is an absolute thrill ride. The tension built up until finally, the games started and there was silence. It was genius.
The movie did not feel as long as it's runtime. It was slow in the beginning, but it picked up and never slowed down its pace, which is related to the main fault I have with "The Hunger Games." The series has 3 books, yet the end of the film felt a bit rushed and sudden. It didn't really hint at any sequel potential, although it had a few unanswered questions. This is my main complaint, however I believe it's still a great movie.
"The Hunger Games" wonderfully captures the violent tendencies of human nature in addition to our selfish urges. The movie has its fair share of breathtaking moments, but it's muddled by its messy ending. It isn't a Harry Potter killer to me, but it was a great start and I'm very happy to see how the trilogy plays out.