Directed by: Gary Ross
Produced by: Nina Jacobson, Jon Kilik
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland
Music by: James Newton Howard
Release date: March 12, 2012 (Los Angeles premiere), March 23, 2012 (United States)
Content: General


Plot: The nation of Panem is divided into 12 districts, ruled from the Capitol. As punishment for a failed revolt, each district is forced to select two tributes, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18, to fight to the death in the annual Hunger Games until there is only one survivor.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen of District 12 volunteers to take her younger sister Primrose's place in the 74th Hunger Games. She and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark are escorted to the Capitol by their chaperone Effie Trinket and mentor Haymitch Abernathy, the Games' only living winner from District 12. Haymitch stresses the importance of gaining sponsors, as they can provide potentially life-saving gifts during the Games. While training, Katniss observes the "Careers" (Marvel, Glimmer, Cato, and Clove), volunteers from the wealthy Districts 1 and 2 who have trained for the Games from an early age. During a televised interview with Caesar Flickerman, Peeta expresses his love for Katniss, which she initially sees as an attempt to attract sponsors; she later learns his admission is genuine.

At the start of the Games, Katniss grabs some of the supplies placed around the Cornucopia, a structure at the starting point, and narrowly escapes death. Half of the 24 tributes die in the initial melee, and only 11, including all four Careers, survive the first day. Katniss tries to stay away from the others, but Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker, triggers a forest fire to drive her towards them. She runs into the Careers, with whom Peeta has seemingly allied, and flees up a tree. Peeta advises the Careers to wait her out. The next morning, Katniss notices Rue, District 11's young female tribute, hiding in an adjacent tree. Rue draws her attention to a nest of genetically modified venomous wasps. Using a knife, Katniss causes the nest to fall on the Careers sleeping below; Glimmer dies, but the others escape. Katniss becomes disoriented from being stung a few times. Peeta returns and tells her to flee.

End of Spoilers

Review: The Hunger Games film has been developed on the triology written by Suzanne Collins. With a setting in a not to distant dystopian North Americanlandscape. With the devistation and destructiuon of the USA a new country is formed. Kniown as Panem. The movie follows roughly the same sory line as the books. Though there are many small changes. Such as when Katnis enters the forbidin outer or forested area, in the book she waits to make sure the electric fence is off and she then crawls under the wire. While in the film she quickly steps between the wires. There are others, but to mention too many would ruin the fun of watching the film.

The film is based on a book by the same name written by Suzanne Collins. Collins ws asked where she had developed the story from and replied that it was original. Denying any comparisons to other similar stories. What she didn't talk about are the simularities between The unger Games and similar future predictions made by a mysterious man known as John Titor. Who posted a range of criptic blogs 2000 and 2001. In some he told of a range of desperate games that people played in the future.

As a producation it was well done. Though I found some of the acting a bit stiff and cardboard. The younger cast members seemed unable to develop any tangible emotions or empathy with the parts they were portraying. While seasoned actors such as Donald Sutherland, easily portrayed the part without effort.

As a film to watch with the teenagers, this might be a good one to sellect.

M J Flack