Reggie Taylor
HUNGER GAMES movie review
Having never read any of the books, I went into watching this movie with ZERO expectations.
Knowing that the movie is one of 3 (maybe more)... I knew that it was going to be a tease. I guess that's where reading the books would have been beneficial.
However, for what it's worth the movie was really entertaining.
Entertainment weekly had a good cover story about the movie that kept me abreast with the phenomenon.
This futuristic world of Panem definitely had its fine lines as far as the class system goes.
The poor were POOR and the rich were eccentrically LAVISH.
If Superman is from the planet Krypton, then Lady Gaga is from Panem.
Panem was once a glorious nation that went to crap and built itself back up again (sound familiar?).
To commemorate their 'new world order', Panem holds an annual national event called Hunger Games.
In these games, "children and teens" (let's just pretend the actors are teens - a la
Dawson's Creek) from every district of Panem are "offered" as tributes - or sacrifices - in which they FIGHT TO THE DEATH in a lottery style drawing.
Totally reminds me of Battle Royale.
What's Battle Royale you ask?
Remember the Asian girl in Kill Bill that fought Uma Thurman?
Chiaki Kuriyama
Well.. she was in a movie that came out a year prior to Kill Bill called
BATTLE ROYALE
Totally the same.. minus the love stor--
Meet Katniss Everdeen (
Jennifer Lawrence), a young teen girl who is skilled in archery and is one of the best from her 'district' (1 of 12 in Panem).
She and all the other children from the districts go to this remodeled-Auschwitz type facility where names are drawn for the tributes-to-be.
Katniss' younger sister is called from their district and like any good older sibling, Katniss volunteers to go into the Hunger Games in her sister's stead.
If I could design a movie theater, I would have seat belt light that would flash at that moment because that's where the movie takes off.
I'll exclude the love story(s?) and just say that Katniss could represent someone who has a lot of pressure on the line for his/her actions and she can't let love get in the way.... but it does.
The other characters are great as well.
Effie (
Elizabeth Banks), a spinster escort of the tributes provided great comic relief.
Haymitch (
Woody Harrelson) is an alcoholic mentor that leads the kids in the right direction.
Cinna (
Lenny Kravitz) is a stylist that makes the kids look FABULOUS! *snaps*
If you like action then watch the news.
Hunger Games keeps it as clean as possible when you're dealing with adolescents killing each other.
You'll laugh... you'll cry...
You'll want to see the sequel!
I'll give this movie 3.5 stars for excitability and capability of capturing a wide demographic. Something hard to do this day and (A.D.D.) age.
