I love movies. We all already knew this, but in recent years some “blockbusters” have made me a little more cynical than I once was. Movies like Harry Potter, which I found boring, and Twilight, which I found to be an abomination to the film industry, have given me little hope that a well-rounded movie can be produced from the books that are popular among teens and young adults these days. Going into The Hunger Games I started getting a little nervous. The setting was the same as it has been with the other movies mentioned. Teens and young adults crowded the theater like sardines packed into a tin. The lights went down, the credits began to roll, and then a magical thing happened…the movie wasn’t horrible. In fact, it was really (REALLY) entertaining.
Storyline: In a dystopian future the Capitol selects a male and female participant from each of the 12 districts, which once rebelled against the Capitol, to compete in a brutal competition. The Hunger Games is a contest that pits 24 people against one another in a fight to the death where only one person can survive. These contestants can be provided outside help from sponsors but ultimately must rely on themselves to survive and be crowned as the victor. At the lottery, to choose the participants, Primrose Everdeen (Shields) is chosen but her older sister, Katniss (Lawrence), offers herself as a volunteer to take her younger sisters place. Now, as a contestant in The Hunger Games, Katniss must find a way to survive the games and make her way back to her family.
I admit that I haven’t read the books, so I can’t speak to what this movie used and didn’t use from the source material. What I CAN tell you is that this movie was a lot of fun and ended up being so much more than I thought it would. While this movie may seem like a thrilling action film, it actually has some incredibly tender moments peppered throughout the film. The acting is actually really good in this film too. Woody Harrelson is fun, Stanley Tucci is as amazing as always, and Jennifer Lawrence plays the role of Katniss flawlessly. The only exception to the standout cast was Josh Hutcherson who, yet again, underwhelms. While he has one or two great scenes, I never feel that he fully conveys the emotions that he is trying to convey.
Worth the admission? Does Tucci look awesome in a blue wig? The answer is YES. The story was well balanced, the actors were great, and the film helped wash out the bad taste left in my mouth from the final 4 Harry Potter movies and Twilight. There may be hope for this genre yet!
Let me know what you thought of the movie 
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