The Hero Emerges in The Hunger Games

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2012)

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in Zen-like focus draws her bow and aims her arrow to punctuate her point. Nothing personal. Making her point, she says. "Thank you for your consideration." Lawrence is amazing. Her Katniss is the brave and noble hero, who never forfeits being a woman, in fact it is the source of her courage and compassion in Suzanne Collins's "The Hunger Games" envisioned on the movie screen. After selflessly volunteering as Tribute to replace her younger sister Prim (fearful Willow Shields) for The Hunger Games, she consoles friend Gale (charismatic Liam Hemsworth). Gale, her blossoming love interest and hunting mate, reassures, "You're stronger than they are!" Katniss admits that she only hunts animals. Gale reminds that people are no different.
At the dramatic arc in the woods, Katniss kills a boy out of rage and vengeance—still in icy repose. What good can come of kids killing each other, in a bloody contest of survival? That is the paradox of Director and Writer Gary Ross's "The Hunger Games", based on the book by Suzanne Collins. Ross, Collins, and Billy Ray wrote the screenplay based on the first book of Collins's enormously popular bestselling trilogy. I have not read the books. One of my friends Carol, also a published author, had told me that the books were great. I took her word. "The Hunger Games" is awesome: You have a young girl, who is the powerful hero of the tale. Jennifer Lawrence makes "The Hunger Games" work. Katniss is not the physically strongest, fastest or most skilled warrior. However, she is the toughest and she's smart. In a great scene before the Games, she tells her costumer Cinna (fostering Lenny Kravitz), "I'm not afraid." And both Gale and Peeta, who fall in love with Katniss, are attracted to her courage and character. Collins gets her hero transformation right.
"The Hunger Games" depicts the post apocalyptic world, where the United States is now Panem which consists of 12 Districts. President Snow (calmly menacing Donald Sutherland) seemingly uses starvation and shiny objects to oppress the population. These are the 74th Hunger Games. Every year each District sends a boy and a girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to the Capital to compete in The Hunger Games. The Hunger Games are like the reality TV "Survivor" on steroids combined with cage fighting, where children compete to the death—only one winner.
Though set in the distant future the story opens in Katniss Everdeen's home District 12 which looks like a 1930's coal mining town. The dichotomy is that each cabin has a flat screen to watch The Hunger Games. Ross and cinematographer Tom Stern ("Million Dollar Baby") have a serene affinity for the land—filmed mostly in North Carolina. The music by T-Bone Burnett and James Newton Howard provides a haunting down home atmosphere. Katniss lives with her Mom and sister Primrose (innocent and fragile Shields). Her Dad died in mining accident. Katniss helps feed her family as an expert archer and hunter.
When Tribute Escort Effie Trinket (seemingly vapid and unrecognizable Elizabeth Banks) selects Primrose in The Hunger Games lottery, Katniss (Lawrence) volunteers to take her place, and save her life. The other participant selected is Peeta (subdued and strong Josh Hutcherson). They travel to the Capitol to train and compete in The Hunger Games. They meet their mentor and former winner Haymitch Abernathy (deceptively powerful Woody Harrelson), who occurs as a drunk washout. Harrelson is one of the wonderful touches: As Haymitch he distinguishes the greatness in both Katniss and Peeta. He schools them in playing the Game. Peeta reveals that he has always been in love with Katniss. And she practically strangles him after his disclosure.
"The Hunger Games" has a broader metaphor. When President Snow talks with Host Seneca Crane (meticulously charming Wes Bentley), he says that the only thing more dangerous than fear is hope. The Hunger Games exist to kill all hope. Amidst the atrocity of children killing each other for celebrity and food, the hero emerges in Katniss, who inspires others. Lawrence never sacrifices Katniss's humanity and boldly acts in the presence of fear. She gets amazing support from a talented cast. Stanley Tucci balances flamboyance and awareness as talk show host Caesar Flickerman. Amandla Stenberg is touching and powerful as young Rue, who befriends Katniss. Hutcherson is vulnerable and brave as Peeta. In the story Peeta can throw a 100 lb. weight 50 feet, but this is never used as a logical threat. Granted the twist is that Katniss is the savior.
The fighting scenes, including the climatic fight, are difficult to discern in the quick cut edits—maybe not Ross's strength. "The Hunger Games" is not an action movie, but action threaded. This is a minor point in the big picture. "The Hunger Games" is the great classic hero story that inspires others to dare to be great. Jennifer Lawrence is the awesome hero Katniss. Bring on the revolution and the sequel.