The Hunger Games Review

I saw this film nearly a year ago. It was hyped up like crazy, sounded like it was going to be the best movie ever. Fangirls squealed, the box office roared, and critics praised it. I knew I had to see this movie. Everyone else was.

The film stood high on the casting of Jennifer Lawrence, the 2nd youngest Oscar nominee for Best Actress. While Winter's Bone brought her critical acclaim, it was this film that brought her to International fame. Everybody in America knew her name now and her insane attractiveness.

The Hunger Games is set in a post apocalyptic, dystopian world where America(?) is now divided into 13 districts. The Capitol, where all the rich people live and dress like Lady Gaga wannabes, and Districts 1-12, where people do poor people stuff.

So far so good. Anyways, every year there is a competition for the Capitol to enjoy called the Hunger Games where one boy and one girl from each of the 12 districts is selected and they must fight to the death until only one person remains. The survivor gets to live long and prosper in the Capitol.

Katniss, who is from District 12, volunteers as tribute (as they call it) after her sister is selected to participate. She is forced to leave her friend Gale (played by Chris Hemsworth's sexy younger brother Liam) as well. Also, despite being heavily promoted, Liam Hemsworth's screentime is about 10 minutes since he's not involved in the Hunger Games.

The other person from Katniss's district is a shy boy named Peeta played by Josh Hutcherson (The Kids are All Right). They are mentored by Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson),  a former winner of District 12, while Elizabeth Banks plays Effie Trinket, a member of the Capitol who escorts Peeta and Katniss around. The movie turned Elizabeth Banks into one ugly bitch for better or for worse.

The film is a mixed bag. Let's start with the good. Woody Harrelson's performance is excellent and if the 2nd half of 2012 hadn't happened, he would have been an Oscar contender. In addition, Stanley Tucci and Toby Jones provide strong work as commentators for The Hunger Games. The first hour of the film is effectively disturbing as it shows the 2 men, along with other people from the capitol, casually discuss The Hunger Games and how kids are killing eachother like it's a harmless game of Soccer.

The film starts to fall flat once The Hunger Games actually start though. In order to have a PG-13 rating, it immediately shifts into shaky cam mode. The intention may have been to show Katniss' point of view but it's more annoying than engaging. Also Wes Bentley (American Beauty) appears in it after seemingly being off the map since American Beauty and...I don't know if I should praise that beard or criticize it

Judge for yourself

If there's any real issue that I had with the film is that it doesn't give the disturbing premise the depth that it deserves. The idea of innocent kids being forced to kill innocent kids is barely touched upon and is more just about Katniss surviving. For example, (minor spoilers), when she kills a kid by shooting him with an arrow, the film doesn't seem to care about the fact that this kid is probably just like Katniss, a teen forced into this horrible game for the oppressive government and who just wants to live. Instead, he's a faceless enemy.

And the weird 5 or 6 person alliance just doesn't make any sense at all especially considering the personality shown by Alexander Ludwig's character.

Oh and Peeta's ridiculous "frosting decorations" You'll know what I'm talking about if you've seen the movie

The CGI fire is also about 25 years out of date so I don't know what happened there. But don't even get me started on those f#!@ing monster dogs. Seriously, that was so ridiculously unnecessary I don't even know where to begin.

Jennifer Lawrence's performance is surprisngly underwhelming, especially considering just how talented the actress is. She was phenomenal in The Burning Plain,a  very underrated movie that nobody has seen. Watch that. Hutcherson is decent enough I guess as Peeta. He's supposed to play a shy, awkward dude so I suppose he pulls it off. Donald Sutherland as the President looks like he's just waiting to get his paycheck before dying. Fortunately, he doesn't have much screentime.

There are definitely a lot of questions/holes in the film. Kinda like what the hell is that button pressing game?

and please don't tell me to just read the book. I shouldn't have to read a book to understand a movie. It's a movie's responsibility to translate to the screen without the audience asking unnecessary questions. Why are Ludwig and his goons unable to see Katniss in one scene where she's clearly visible? I shouldn't have to read a book to know the answer.


However, despite these harsh criticisms, there are good things about the film. A few sequences are genuinely thrilling, the first hour introduces a fascinating universe, and the ending made me excited to watch the sequel.

On the other hand, nobody is hungry in this goddamn movie. Pissed me off.

3/5