Last summer, still charmed by her engaging portrayal of Mystique in X-men: First Class and impressed by her Oscar nomination for Winter’s Bone, I couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for newcomer Jennifer Lawrence; that’s when I saw her on the cover of Entertainment Weekly, promoting her portrayal of a literary character in an upcoming blockbuster known as The Hunger Games. Now, I had actually never heard of the book series, aside from some comparisons to Twilight (cue eye-roll), but based on the synopsis provided in the magazine, I decided to pick up the novel…48-hours later, I was a devoted fan who couldn’t wait to read the sequels or see the movie. Leading up to its release, the film adaptation of the wildly-popular book was placed under a microscope, with fans scrutinizing every possible element, from some of the questionable casting choices (Lenny Kravitz…really?), to the decision to rate the notoriously violent narrative as PG-13. Still, author Suzanne Collins gave her stamp of approval to the film, and absolutely everyone knew that this would be the first true cinematic event of 2012 (sorry John Carter), which many tracked to outperform those smug, sparkling vampires and whiny werewolves. Advanced ticket sales were breaking the bank, fans were lighting up Twitter and Facebook in anticipation, and even those who flatly refuse to pick up a book were intrigued…hopefully the high hopes wouldn’t find themselves trampled.
Wholly respectful of its source material and refusing to shy away from darker themes, The Hunger Games is a brilliant film adaptation filled with impressive imagination and thoroughly engaging acting. Director Gary Ross knows how to set up and transition characters, but where his true talent lies is in the ability to convey some of the more mature emotions of the narrative, whether that involves grief over a friend’s death or the despair of being placed in a hopeless situation. In terms of acting, Jennifer Lawrence proves her worthiness as a leading-lady; adequately matching a beloved literary character is one hell of a challenge, but the young actress is a PERFECT fit for the conflicted and no-nonsense Katniss…I cannot wait to see her in the sequels. If I had one complaint to raise against The Hunger Games, it is that while the film may convey considerable emotion, in switching for first-person to third-person storytelling, the film fails to match the same intensity of emotion presented in the books: namely, the tyranny of fascist government, the plight of starvation, the shamelessness of unchecked consumerism, or the peril and betrayal associated with forced survivalist scenarios. So, because of that, The Hunger Games is best classified as a supplement; you can enjoy the film (and indeed there is much to enjoy), but in order to truly appreciate the implications of the story told, you should still read the book.
Overall Recommendation: Very High
