Movie review: ‘The Hunger Games’
The Hunger Games, a film by Gary Ross, adapted from the book by Suzanne Collins, has been a smash hit worldwide. Made for $78 Million, it nearly doubled that amount in its opening weekend, grossing $152.5 Million. It’s total worldwide gross is currently estimated at over $685 Million.
The Hunger Games is the story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence). After her sister Primrose is selected as a Tribute in the 74th Hunger Games, a brutal contest where 24 young boys and girls go into a mechanized, highly-controlled arena, and only one comes out, Katniss volunteers in her place. Also chosen is Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), a boy with a not-so-secret love for Katniss. With the help of their Mentor, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), the two of them must come together, and fight to stay alive.
Gary Ross is best remembered as the creator of the superb 1998 film Pleasantville.
Working off a script developed by Collins herself, in collaboration with screenwriter Billy Ray, The Hunger Games stays very true to the novel. However, Ross deemed some changes necessary. As he explained, “In the book, Katniss speculates about the game-makers manipulations… in the film, we can’t get inside Katniss’ head, but we do have the ability to cut away and actually show the machinations of the Capitol behind the scenes.” These changes never stray too far from the source material, and I think fans of the series will be pleased with how they are handled.
Jennifer Lawrence’s performance is spectacular, all fierce emotionality and determination. Best known worldwide as Mystique in X-Men: First Class, here in the Ozarks we know Lawrence as Ree Dolly from 2010’s Winter’s Bone, directed by Debra Granik, and shot right here in the Ozark’s back yard.
As a personal aside; when I read the series, after I finished the first book, I was a bit underwhelmed. I liked it, but I didn’t really understand all the hype the series was generating. If you have that feeling after watching this movie: wait for the second and third. This movie, as good as it was, exists merely to set up one of the most epic, and poignant, stories ever told.
Katniss was not selected, she volunteered. Major detail.
I felt the simplification was necessary for the flow of the article. If I had put that she volunteered, I would have had to specify that Peeta was chosen, and did not volunteer… But, you’re right, it’s a major plot point. I’ll rewrite that section.