Fans of Suzanne Collins’ book series came out in record numbers to see the trilogy’s first adaptation, “The Hunger Games,” hit the big screen last weekend. Box office domination, however, doesn’t always speak to the quality of the product. Just consider the painful experience of watching even five minutes from “The Twilight Saga.”
“The Hunger Games” is different. It’s the box office smash worth the price of admission, even for those unfamiliar with the series.
The story takes place in a fascinating post-apocalyptic world where a deadly competition separates the rich from the poor. Twenty-four kids go in, only one comes out. Survival requires pandering to a fickle television audience, and, oh yeah, killing fellow adolescents before they kill you.
This story has been done before, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen it done with such focus on character. Director Gary Ross (“Pleasantville”) does an exceptional job not only in visualizing Collins’ dense mythology but also introducing a captivating heroine in Katniss Everdeen, a bow-and-arrow-wielding warrior who could snap poor Bella Swan’s neck with her index finger.
Every year the tyrannical government of Panem takes a boy and girl from each of the 12 districts to compete in the death match. When her younger sister gets the call, Katniss volunteers in her place. She’s then forced to split her time between intensive training and a disturbingly chipper PR campaign designed to drum up sympathy (and potential survival perks) from Panem’s elite citizens.
“The Hunger Games” captivates in these early scenes that establish the social dynamics of the Capitol city, Katniss’ experiences with a sadistic form of celebrity, and the uneasy alliances and friendships formed between the competitors.
As Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence is the best thing about “The Hunger Games” movie experience. The Oscar-nominated young actress from “Winter’s Bone” and “X-Men: First Class” handles the physical stuff with ease, but she also carries every emotional beat in the movie. Katniss is the compassionate and resourceful girl whose humanity is tested by unspeakable acts and impossible odds. A dynamic actor is needed to carry the weight of the film’s underlying social commentary, and Lawrence proves to be more than up to the task.
“The Hunger Games” is well-cast all around, particularly in Katniss’ support team, notably the drunken Hunger Games winner-turned-trainer Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) and the PR stylist Cinna (musician Lenny Kravitz). Josh Hutcherson carries on fine as Katniss’ fellow district competitor, and the character’s strategy in the arena adds an intriguing undercurrent to the standard romantic subplot.
The violence in the film is muted by shaky camerawork and quick editing, most likely an intentional strategy implemented to ensure a PG-13 rating. Still, kids are killing kids here, and Ross finds an impactful and disturbing way to emphasize the subtext behind the violence. Just like the book series, however, “The Hunger Games” should definitely be a teenagers-and-up experience.
The film’s second half, set almost entirely in the forested combat arena, loses some momentum as it drags past the two-hour mark, and the likes of Abernathy, Cinna and villains played by Donald Sutherland and Wes Bentley don’t get much to do other than gawk at television screens.
Perhaps to appease the rabid fans of the book series, there are a few subplots in the film adaptation that make zero impact, notably Katniss’ romantic interests with a boy back home (played by Liam Hemsworth). He may play a big role in the sequels, but this movie drags to a halt at the mere sight of him. A book can provide lengthy backstory, but a successful movie lives and dies on its pacing.
Going into the series as a newbie, “The Hunger Games” makes it easy to see why it has become such a global phenomenon. For the most part, the movie works as a singular entertainment, and it teases audiences to catch up with the books.
Even better, Jennifer Lawrence’s performance makes the next installment of Katniss’ film journey even more anticipated.
Grade: B+