Film Review | 'The Hunger Games'

The Hunger Games

Directed by Gary Ross

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson

Run time: 2h 22m

Distributed by Lionsgate

Rating: 5 stars (A+)

The Hunger Games is the one film I’ve been waiting three years to see now. I mean, sure there were the final Potter films, and I did wait for those, but the anticipation was entirely different for these two franchises. For Potter, it was definitely more of a sentimental thing for the films to come out, and as wondrous as the acting is in the films, I always valued the story much more than I did the people who represented it. It’s tough for me to admit this, but I think having that closure nearly a year after the final film definitely helps, as well as the release of the first film in The Hunger Games. Looking back, I am able to openly point out flaws in the acting and in the adaptations made from the books to the films, and while I will always value Harry Potter more than anything, I think that The Hunger Games is a wholly better adaptation, and a wholly better film.

The acting spotlight in this film is definitely shed on Jennifer Lawrence, whose performance as the world-renowned heroine in the oppressing Panem trumps over all over actors in the film. This is probably a result of the fact that Lawrence’s character is the one seen most in the film. She provides a sense of irresistible courage balanced with a sense of haughtiness, something I wasn’t necessarily expecting, but that I definitely loved. I think the second-best acting job comes from either Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, Katniss and Peeta’s mentor, or Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, the Capitol-based talk-show host whose character plays a much more expanded and important role in the film than in the first novel. I read many reviews prior to the official release of the film stating that Harrelson didn’t portray Haymitch as drunk or funny as he was in the book, but I totally disagree. Harrelson’s performance definitely deserves an Academy-Award nomination for its honesty, its complexity, and its hilarity. Tucci just wowed every single person who saw the film, cracking a laugh out of the audience just with his charm and his facial expressions. There always is just something about Stanley Tucci that wins an audience over. My personal favorite character in the series’ entirety is Effie Trinket. Effie was portrayed by Elizabeth Banks, who took Effie’s mannerisms and eccentricities and built upon them in a major, yet surprisingly subtly hidden, way. Effie is perhaps the most frighteningly ignorant character in the series, building a false sense of hope (“Contain it”) at the Reaping, as well as trying so hard to cheer up the Tributes when they arrive at the Capitol (“I don’t think they get dessert. But you do.”). Banks and Harrelson perfectly portray the animosity between their respective characters as present in the novel, and Effie is always irritated when Haymitch is around (“That is mahogany!”). The Tributes, portrayed notably by Leven Rambin, Jack Quaid, Alexander Ludwig, the chilling Isabelle Fuhrman, Jacqueline Emerson, Amandla Stenberg, and Dayo Okeniyi, were all their own characters, something I was worried they wouldn’t be. I liked the romantic build-up between Glimmer and Cato, seeing as they’re both attractive people, as well as immensely strong and powerful. I thought Foxface’s appearance was downsized a bit too much to the point where a non-reader wouldn’t know the threat she posed (she wasn’t brutal, but she was stealthy). Amandla Stenberg, as well as Willow Shields as Prim, delivered a heart-wrenching performance as Rue, Katniss’s ally during the Games. Her death scene truly was painful. And of course, I could not have gone through this film review without mentioning the stylists, most importantly Cinna. Lenny Kravitz’s performance was astoundingly intimate and phenomenal, maintaining the ambiguity of his character as well as providing a sense of adoration and admiration. Truly superb acting from all, really.

As far as direction and adaptations go, Gary Ross was a great director for this film. The cinematography, the screenplay, the set design, everything was just so similar to the way they were in the novel, and none of that could be so without such an amazing director. Lionsgate made the right decision bestowing this tale unto the hands of Gary Ross, and it truly shows. As for book-to-film translations, I believe this film is the most accurate that I have seen in my life. More on omissions and inclusions in the spoiler filled part of this review, appearing below.

SPOILER WARNING: At this point in the review, I will list what I liked, disliked, and what scenes were kept out of the film and how that affected the film’s outcome.

LIKED:

• The oppressive portrayal of District Twelve
• The looks at President Snow with Seneca Crane, as well as shots within the Game Headquarters
• Rue’s death was perfection—except for a tiny nitpick that will be stated in the ‘dislike’ portion
• The understated sense that the star-crossed lover concept was fake, yet not made obvious
• The Reaping scene was exactly how it should have been
• The focus on other Tributes; I loved the scene where Clove fights Katniss
• The tracker-jacker hallucinations
• Greasy Sae’s appearance, as well as giving the mockingjay pin to Katniss. It definitely worked in the film.
• The looming darkness before the Games begin
• The eerie silences throughout the film
• The cave scene, as well as the Katniss/Peeta kiss
• The cliffhanger at the end
• Prim’s ducktail

DISLIKED:

• The lack of a relationship between Katniss and Gale, and Katniss and Rue; I’m less bothered by the Katniss/Gale thing because I know readers barely see him in the book, I just would’ve liked a bigger stress on their relationship being a platonic thing that basically revolves around their families. There was a bit of that, but not enough. Rue’s death omitted the line, “This is the place where I love you.” In my opinion, that line is just as important as “NOT MY DAUGHTER, YOU BITCH.”
• The lack of Avoxes. It does nothing for the story, though, so this is mainly just a selfish thing
• The lack of focus on the stylists; they play a larger part in the subsequent books.
• I know I said Greasy Sae’s presence worked in the film, but I still would have liked to see Madge. I really love Madge.

LEFT OUT:

• There is that lack of clarification from Peeta that Katniss was pretending to love him. But the viewer can assume that if they have a brain.
• The stylists (mostly)
• The Avox history
• Portia’s importance to Peeta’s presence. I mean she’s there, but I don’t think her name is ever spoken, nor does Katniss ever converse with her.
• I felt like, although Donald Sutherland was astounding as Snow, he was a bit more serious and intimidating than flat-out creepy
• Delly. I know it’s petty, but I really hope she’ll be in Mockingjay