First rate

Rating: 10/10 (22 March 2012)

Once a year, 12 districts each have to supply a boy and a girl aged between 12 and 18 to take part in the Hunger Games, a televised trial where the 24 young people have to kill each other so that just one survives. 17 year old Katniss Everdine volunteers for District 12 after her 12 year old (and woefully un-survival oriented) sister is picked. Katniss is a successful hunter/archer and at least stands a chance. The first part of the film details Katniss' background, the selection and preparations, and the second part deals with the Games themselves.
This adaptation of the first book in a trilogy (which I haven't read) is a film which I expected to be good: it was better. It portrays a world similar to the familiar, but different enough that the changes keep you interested. There is no explanation, but you pick up background information as the story unfolds. The science fiction aspect is good, the action is good and, best of all, there is a lot of brain food in the film. It is not just eye candy and action: it makes you think.
If I have a criticism, it is that I thought it could have done with the killings when the games start being rather bloodier than they were: I thought this would have pointed up the brutal nature of the Games, whereas I felt the deaths actually felt rather gentle. However, given the "young adult" demographic which the books (and film) are aimed at, I can understand dialling back the violence.
Jennifer Lawrence was terrific again.
This film ticked all my boxes and I recommend it highly.