Directed by: GARY ROSS
Produced by: NINA JACOBSON, JON KILIK
Screenplay by: GARY ROSS, SUZANNE COLLINS, BILLY RAY
Based on: "The Hunger Games" by SUZANNE COLLINS
Starring: JENNIFER LAWRENCE, JOSH HUTCHERSON, LIAM HEMSWORTH, WOODY HARRELSON, ELIZABETH BANKS, LENNY KRAVITZ, STANLEY TUCCI, DONALD SUTHERLAND
Rating: 3/4
Panem is a post-apocalyptic totalitarian and dystopian country that may have once been North America but is now divided into twelve districts. Long ago, a rebellion attempted to topple the government but it didn't work out. As punishment, each district is forced to send in two tributes annually, one male and one female, to participate in a televised no-holds-barred event in which the contestants must fight to the death until only one remains the winner. They call it 'The Hunger Games'.
With inspirations from Greek mythology- namely, the legend of Theseus- and reality television shows, the premise for The Hunger Games- based on the novel by Suzanne Collins- at first comes off as completely ridiculous. Seriously, killing off people in such a gladiatorial publicised manner from each district until only one emerges the victor- that's supposed to keep the people living in fear? Clearly, as is standard with most films and stories set in the future, common sense seems to have been completely thrown out the window. But naturally, it requires an amount of suspension of disbelief to pull off this story.
So the question remains: is The Hunger Games able to pull it off?
Against all the odds: yes, it does. Anchored by a stellar performance from Jennifer Lawrence and under the keen eye and guidance of director Gary Ross, The Hunger Games ends up being a bold, exciting and visceral film.
Academy-Award nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone, X-Men: First Class) is Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take part in The Hunger Games in her younger sister's place. Unlike many female protagonists in young adult novels of late, Katniss does not spend her entire time thinking about her handsomely chiselled boyfriend or crush (who might in most cases, have supernatural abilities or connections) and being a considerable whining moping mess of a character. No, Katniss is tough and determined, possessing an uncanny skill with a bow- sort of like a female Legolas. Instead of being an incompetent damsel-in-distress, she prefers to take care of herself. Katniss is a breath of fresh air into the genre, a character in the vein of female warriors such as Ellen Ripley, Sarah Connor and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Like them, she's also not necessarily out to please everyone she comes across.
Her supporters include Haymitch Abernathy (another hilarious turn by the ever-talented Woody Harrelson), a past Hunger Games victor and current drunk mentor; Cinna (a likable Lenny Kravitz) as the District 12 stylist; and, to a more-or-less extent, Effie Trinket (a rather wasted role for Elizabeth Banks). On the side of the government is the dictatorial President Snow (a brief yet intimidating turn by Donald Sutherland), TV personality Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) and the game-maker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley).
In keeping with the futuristic tone, the technology present is state-of-the-art. It's got touch screens, holograms and the works, none better shown than in the game control room that evokes the design of the Bridge in Star Trek. Also, fashion seems to be another forgotten thing in the future- here in The Hunger Games, the wealthy and powerful citizens living in the Capitol wear vivid coloured clothes and sport odd tinted hair-styles which is, frankly speaking, just plain nauseating to look at. And that's exactly what the filmmakers set out to accomplish! Such a world could have played out disastrously if done wrong. But Gary Ross and his team pull it off with a conviction that borders on uncomfortable. The life of the poverty-stricken District 12 evokes images of war-torn countries. When they show the life at the other end of the spectrum at the Capitol- which you may have already guessed, is the capital of Panem- it is painful to look at their presentation which is tinged with a hint of satire and caricature.
Another point which The Hunger Games should be commended for is its endeavor to tackle heavy themes and messages on topics such as politics, self-sacrifice and feminism, as if to appear as a social commentary film. Unfortunately, the attempt does fall short and underwhelms as the events of the film- namely, the romantic sub-plot between Katniss and her fellow District 12 tribute- tend to take up most of the time. However, the film should be commended for its efforts, as such provoking themes are usually absent in most young adult stories in favour of teenage angst, unrequited love which has- let's be honest- been done so many times it's become a cliché in all young adult stories, not forgetting the perfect and almost flawless boyfriend (*cough* Twilight *cough*).
So the question remains: is The Hunger Games able to pull it off?
Against all the odds: yes, it does. Anchored by a stellar performance from Jennifer Lawrence and under the keen eye and guidance of director Gary Ross, The Hunger Games ends up being a bold, exciting and visceral film.
Academy-Award nominated actress Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone, X-Men: First Class) is Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take part in The Hunger Games in her younger sister's place. Unlike many female protagonists in young adult novels of late, Katniss does not spend her entire time thinking about her handsomely chiselled boyfriend or crush (who might in most cases, have supernatural abilities or connections) and being a considerable whining moping mess of a character. No, Katniss is tough and determined, possessing an uncanny skill with a bow- sort of like a female Legolas. Instead of being an incompetent damsel-in-distress, she prefers to take care of herself. Katniss is a breath of fresh air into the genre, a character in the vein of female warriors such as Ellen Ripley, Sarah Connor and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Like them, she's also not necessarily out to please everyone she comes across.
Her supporters include Haymitch Abernathy (another hilarious turn by the ever-talented Woody Harrelson), a past Hunger Games victor and current drunk mentor; Cinna (a likable Lenny Kravitz) as the District 12 stylist; and, to a more-or-less extent, Effie Trinket (a rather wasted role for Elizabeth Banks). On the side of the government is the dictatorial President Snow (a brief yet intimidating turn by Donald Sutherland), TV personality Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) and the game-maker Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley).
In keeping with the futuristic tone, the technology present is state-of-the-art. It's got touch screens, holograms and the works, none better shown than in the game control room that evokes the design of the Bridge in Star Trek. Also, fashion seems to be another forgotten thing in the future- here in The Hunger Games, the wealthy and powerful citizens living in the Capitol wear vivid coloured clothes and sport odd tinted hair-styles which is, frankly speaking, just plain nauseating to look at. And that's exactly what the filmmakers set out to accomplish! Such a world could have played out disastrously if done wrong. But Gary Ross and his team pull it off with a conviction that borders on uncomfortable. The life of the poverty-stricken District 12 evokes images of war-torn countries. When they show the life at the other end of the spectrum at the Capitol- which you may have already guessed, is the capital of Panem- it is painful to look at their presentation which is tinged with a hint of satire and caricature.
Another point which The Hunger Games should be commended for is its endeavor to tackle heavy themes and messages on topics such as politics, self-sacrifice and feminism, as if to appear as a social commentary film. Unfortunately, the attempt does fall short and underwhelms as the events of the film- namely, the romantic sub-plot between Katniss and her fellow District 12 tribute- tend to take up most of the time. However, the film should be commended for its efforts, as such provoking themes are usually absent in most young adult stories in favour of teenage angst, unrequited love which has- let's be honest- been done so many times it's become a cliché in all young adult stories, not forgetting the perfect and almost flawless boyfriend (*cough* Twilight *cough*).
Conversely, if Jennifer Lawrence is the film's highlight, her male co-stars are the opposite. Granted, Josh Hutcherson (The Kids Are Alright) as male tribute Peeta Mellark makes for a more compelling lead as he gets more on-screen time than Liam Hemsworth (The Last Song) does as Katniss' childhood friend, Gale Hawthorne. They simply serve to exist to fulfill the romantic aspect of The Hunger Games (spoiler alert: the sequels will focus on the clichéd love-triangle between the three that simply must be present in a young adult story). Let's hope that either: a) the actors are given something more interesting to work with- they are actually commendable performers- or b) the love-triangle remains more of a sub-plot than the main angle in the sequel. Also, for a film with a violent and bloody premise, The Hunger Games is a relatively bloodless movie, something that could be definitely improved on.
While it may not appeal to the taste of everyone, there is no doubt that The Hunger Games is one of the better films of 2012 and is worth checking out.
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