The Hunger Games movie review
By: Ashley Castaneda
First it was Harry Potter. Then it was Twilight. The Harry Potter films are finished, and Twilight is coming to an end. Fans of these two films were left without anything to see or read. Until The Hunger Games came along. Outrunning Twilight with its action scenes and Harry Potter with its extraordinary journey, The Hunger Games fulfills fans needs for a action, romance and adventure.
The wait is over for the 74thHunger Games. “Citizens of Panem” lined up to experience the tributes’ journey in the new franchise The Hunger Games on March 23.
After North America fell from destruction, Panem was born. Panem consist of 12 districts with one capital (District 1). The people of Panem promised to never rebel again and that peace is what will be in the districts. In order to keep the districts at peace, every district sends one boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate as tributes representing their districts in the 74th annual Hunger Games, where tributes fight in a battle of survival that is broadcast live throughout Panem. Only one tribute can survive the Hunger Games, and the tribute that wins will never have to work for food again.
Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), both citizens of District 12 , are forced to take part in the Hunger Games. Katniss takes the place of her little sister Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields). Her promise to her sister is that she “would try to win (the game) for her.” Peeta amd Katniss, along with 22 other trubutes, compete to win the favor of sponsors in order to increase their chances of survival. With romance getting in the way of Katniss and Peeta, they face a hard decision in surviving the game.
Jennifer Lawrence is an talented actress known for being in films such as Winter’s Bone and X -Men First Class. Lawrence has had experience in action films so she was the perfect Katniss Everdeen. What makes Lawrence the perfect Katniss is the emotion she brings into her character. Lawrence puts bravery, determination, and wit into her character. Lawrence did an
amazing job when Katniss is saying goodbye to her sister and her mother. She portrays such fervent emotion and feeling when Katniss says to her mother.
Katniss:“ You can’t tune out again.”
Katniss Mother: “I won’t”
Katniss: “ No you can’t. Not like when dad died. I won’t be there anymore. You’re all she has. No matter what you feel, you have to be there for her. Do you understand?”
( Katniss’ mother nods with tears in her eyes)
Katniss: “ Don’t Cry. Don’t”
Josh Hutcherson is adorable and charming just like his character Peeta Mellark. Hutcherson is known for being in Bridge to Terabithia and Journey to The Center of The Earth. He too has had experience in action genre films. Hutcherson doesn’t have to try hard to be charming and sweet because he is that already; Hutcherson was being himself. The Peeta in the book is described as being a soft, sincere, and quiet but in the movie Peeta is caring and sociable; he loves people. Hutcherson puts humor into his character to make him seem practical. Fans will enjoy this practical yet charming Peeta.
Although Liam Hemsworth, who plays Gale Hawthorne, he is shown only in the beginning of The Hunger Games. Hemsworth still catches fans eyes with his strength and maturity as Gale.
The rest of the characters like Caeser Flickerman ( Stanley Tucci) Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley), and Effie Trinket ( Elizabeth Banks) were very entertaining to watch, they were probably fans favorite characters.
All the performance came from the direction of the director Gary Ross, the Oscar nominated writer and director. Ross Directed movies like Big, Dave, Pleasantville, and Seabiscuit. Producer of The Hunger Games, Nina Jacobson knew what she was doing by picking Ross. His image of The Hunger Games was extraordinary.
Ross stated in The Huger Games: The Official Illustrated Movie Companion what he wanted fans to experience,
“I needed to give the audience that incredibly immediate sense that they’re not watching this girl – they are this girl. I wanted them to be in her shoes, to experience everything through her eyes.”
In order to make this effect Ross uses handheld cameras to create this effect. Watching the movie people do feel like they are part of the Hunger Games but as for the behind the eyes of Katniss the movie hardly shows what she sees. In the action scenes the handheld camera effect is used a lot; these scenes seem a little sloppy with this effect because the minute someone is attacked, the camera moves all over the place and the next minute two other people are dead. It may have confused some audiences when the camera was moving fast because the fight scenes went by fast. This film is full of intense action scenes well choreographed.
There’s nothing more fans of franchise books love more than to have the author ( Suzanne Collins) help write the screenplay. The movie followed the book, of course a film can’t be so long so characters such as Madge and the Avox girl were cut out of the movie. Collins listened to her fans by following every step of the book. As for the setting of the movie , Panem is the future so they do stick with 21st century style in poor areas like District 12 homes that are “ Factory homes”, sort of beat down trailer homes. The setting of District 12 is similar to the setting in the book, the electric gate is near the woods where Katniss hunts, and the seam is indoor surrounded by worthless junk.
The design of the Capital was beautiful and very elegant. The setting of Katniss and Peeta’s housing in the Capital was colorful just like the Capital is supposed to be. The Capital is known for being colorful with their eccentric clothes and makeup. The clothes had a look kind of like Alice in Wonderland look with heavy makeup and hats, wigs, and clothes that were elegant but fun looking at the same time. The Capital had to have been one of the best scenes in the movie. It was very fun to watch the people of the capital.
This film is rated PG-13 because of intense violent thematic material and disturbing material. The Hunger Games is now showing at all movie theaters.
Rachel, all I know is I discovered this book way back when it wasn’t even a seeris yet. I wanted to read it because I’d read great things about it. I think I even started it but I think I wasn’t in the mood for it at the time.Then I found out a few months ago that there was going to be a movie and like you I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie. So I dug up the eBook and I read it. And loved it. And I couldn’t believe what possessed me not to read it before. I think I must have been crazy to pick it up and put it back down. The truth is it’s a really good book and once you start and get into it (which I did immediately the second time around) you’ll probably not want to stop.The second and third book are less awesome than the first, but since the first one goes so far past the line of awesome (in my opinion), it isn’t a huge problem. It’s just that the second and third book don’t quite meet The Hunger Games standard. But they’re still regularly awesome (LOL).But are they worth getting yelled at for? I think that depends on how much you hate getting yelled at .
Reply