The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games

In The Hunger Games, Oscar-nominated Jennifer Lawrence takes on the role of Katniss Everdeen, a girl selected to represent the people of her region in a televised fight to the death. The event is organised by the Capitol, the ruling power of America known as Panem, as punishment for a rebellion years earlier. This is a story that draws from sources like Battle Royale, Stephen King's The Running Man and today's endless stream of reality TV.

       

The Hunger Games is enthralling from beginning to end, science fiction that has depth and intelligence to match its pulse-racing entertainment value.

       

Lawrence is the beating heart of the tale as bow and arrow-wielding heroine Katniss, who bravely steps in for younger sister Prim when her name is pulled out to be the tribute for District 12. Through director Ross's rough and ready handheld camerawork you're with Katniss for every blood-flecked moment of her ordeal in the arena

Running the show alongside her is Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), a baker's son from her district who declares his crush on her live in front of the Hunger Games audience. He is being viewed as the  underdog, and this budding romance satisfies reality TV's need to fashion narrative arcs out of its contestants.

Katniss appears to be playing this for the cameras at first, but as the finale draws closer those feelings begin to seem mutual. The rules of the games, however, state that there must only be one tribute left standing. It's kill or be killed for Katniss and Peeta.

All this plays out to the agony of Gale Hawthorne, the boy who hunted with Katniss back in her district. It's a slight role for Liam Hemsworth, who'll figure more heavily in all-but-guaranteed sequels Catching Fire and Mockingjay.

The film packs in a colourful cast of supporting players, too, with Woody Harrelson providing humor as former tournament champ Haymitch, Lenny Kravitz proving to be Katniss's rock as stylist Cinna and Elizabeth Banks stealing scenes as Effie Trinkett, a district escort who's Mary Poppins by-way-of Tim Burton.

The Hunger Games paints a vivid picture of stark contrast - poverty and wealth, oppression and freedom, fear and hope. It's these opposing forces that make Suzanne Collins's world such a tantalising one. In a clever addition to her text, Ross heightens the story's big emotional sucker punch to show Katniss as the catalyst for an uprising among the downtrodden people. One thing's for certain, after watching The Hunger Games you'll want to be a part of the Katniss Everdeen revolution.