Hunger Games

To say that I was slightly disappointed in the visual realization of Suzanne Collins bestselling book Hunger Games isn't fair to director Gary Ross (of who I am a huge fan of) or his movie. While I am no fan of her writing style, Suzanne does bring us a world never before seen with horrors never before thought about. The movie of course couldn't put everything from the book onto the screen or then we would have a four hour movie but I was still somewhat let down. I think much of that let down can be attributed to the cast of the movie.

Anyone who has ever read the trilogy I'm sure had their own idea of what Katniss "Katnip" Everdeen looked like and while Jennifer Lawrence has the eyes of someone from the seam, she doesn't put forth the air of vulnerability. She's one of the tallest people on the screen. She's taller than Peeta Mellark played by Josh Hutcherson and almost eye to eye with Gale Hawthorne played by Liam Hemsworth her hunting companion and potential romantic interest back in District Twelve. They hit a home run on talk show host Caeser Flickerman played by the amazing Stanley Tucci and Elizabeth Banks who stars as the vapid Effie Trinket. They struck out however with a seemingly bored and tired Donald Sutherland who plays the evil President Snow.

Every year, to mark the anniversary of the rebellion one male and one female between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen from each district to fight to the death in the arena. Katniss doesn't get chosen, instead her younger sister Primrose does. Katniss immediately volunteers to take her sisters place in the arena. Peeta also get chosen to fight and the two kids who never really seen anything grand are whisked off to the Capitol where they are lavished with food and attention the likes they have never seen before. The chosen enter the arena as all of Panem looks on to see the carnage. Alliances are formed and kids are killed in cold blood and usually only one victor is crowned but Peeta tells Caeser Flickerman about this girl he loves and the rules get changed.

It makes for compelling reading and the movie IS pretty entertaining. Of course some things are changed in the movie from the book and there are times the movie feels somewhat hollow but I think that's because I read the books. It may be completely different for those going in blindly. The music, scored by James Newton Howard feels directionless and is sadly forgettable. If he is chosen to score the sequels hopefully he can step his game up. Overall a decent movie if you've read the book and a good movie if you didn't. I'd recommend it more if you haven't read the book and I'll see you at the theater. Oh, and may the odds be ever in your favor.