Why was this film made?

Rating: 1/10 (1 September 2012)

Let me first say that I haven't read the books and after watching this I can safely say I never will. I can only hope the books are not quite as banal and shallow as the movie. That's not to say the movie is better or worse than the books, just that it is the story itself which is really really bad.
The basic plot about kids being picked to compete in a TV show and who then have to fight to the death is just mind numbingly dumb. Seriously if this is what teenagers think is great storytelling then the future of film and narrative is in serious trouble. The Hunger Games makes Twilight look like Shakespeare in comparison.
Set in a world where elites control all the food reserves and run the country of Panem by requiring each district to submit 2 of their children to compete in the annual hunger games, who therefore become submissive to the elites. Why this seems to work is never explained, in fact none of the reasons the masses seem to be complicit in the state sponsored killings of their offspring is ever really delved into which is a shame as you would think it to be of some importance.
The acting is pretty good in general and it's nice to see Woody Harrelson in a decent role again, Lenny Kravitz was pretty good too given the limited scope of his character. Unfortunately Donald Sutherland despite his Hollywood legendary status is just not heavyweight enough for this role I thought. The two leads do manage to pull you in somewhat, but nothing I saw ever stopped me from thinking this is just a ridiculous proposition, so that I could never really believe in any of it.
I'm sure it won't be long until we have a pre-teen serial killer movie judging by the success of this, hang on maybe I should write it myself and become stinking rich when some Hollywood moron buys the rights for his next big movie. Do yourself a favor and avoid having to sit through this nonsense.