Clumsy transition from book to film, but it had its moments.

Rating: 4/10 (6 August 2016)

In a world that exists at some point in the future following the destruction of all current civilizations, a country exists in servitude to a dictatorial "capital". In this world all resources are funneled away from the people who produce them, an oppressive government uses starvation and hunger as a weapon of intimidation and subjugation. In this world an annual gladiatorial completion is held pitting children from ages 11 to 18 against each other in a free for all death match that serves to entertain the tyrannical ruling class and to further demoralize and depress the subjugated masses.
While the story in and of itself is well conceived in the novel; which seeks to dispel the myth that we cannot control our own destiny and to also prove there is no limit to how far someone can for family, the transition to film was lacking. While many of the actors and actresses such as Donald Sutherland and Elizabeth Banks played their parts well, some of their younger cast mates didn't fully bring their performances home. Josh Hutcherson (who played Peeta Mellark) for example had the habit of never changing his facial expression throughout much of the movie which had the effect of stripping his character of emotional value and had me rooting for his romantic rival Gale, played by Liam Hemsworth, the entire time.
What was great about the film was the set pieces, costumes, and lighting all of which helps pull you as the viewer in a little deeper. The setting for the opening of the film in District Twelve really does have the drab and run down feeling of a nearly abandoned coal town in the Appalachians. The dull lighting and crumbling buildings help you to understand just how hard life is for the people who have to live there. This contrasts starkly with the lavish clothing and bright glass buildings in the ruling capital. These glaring contrasts do more in my opinion to underscore the struggle in the story than any other component of the film.
While it was not the best film it certainly did carry a good message of perseverance, determination and ultimately a "we do crazy things for family" type message. The ultimate theme however is about destiny. When the main characters make the conscious decision to end their own lives both as a final defiant act and as a means of protecting the people they care about they demonstrate that no matter how out of control life becomes there is still some measure of our future that is in our own hands.