Review: The Hunger Games (Gary Ross)
Nearly a century ago, the thirteen districts of Panem rose in rebellion against their Capitol and lost. Ever since, each district has been required each year to send a tribute of one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. In all that time, District 12 has seen only one victor, so when Katniss Everdeen volunteers in order to save her sister Prim from being selected, she knows her chances are surviving are slim. Slim, but not non-existent: she has the help of her cynical mentor, Haymitch, her Capitol-assigned stylist, Cinna, and perhaps even that of her fellow tribute, Peeta … despite the fact that to win, she'll have to kill him …
I'd read the books, of course, before seeing this film, and wouldn't be surprised if it got in the running for Best Adapted Screenplay at next year's Oscars. The exposition was trimmed down without loss of essentials, leaving room for plenty of action. If the narrative suffers anywhere, it's in the falling action; the ending felt less rounded off than I would have liked, as if the filmmakers were already envisioning the ability to plug Catching Fire into the DVD player. A lot has been said about the use of shaky-cam shots -- for the most part I found them unoffensive, except at the very beginning when they were combined with a rapid series of close-ups. I kept shoving back in my seat in order to get away from the film and bring it into focus. I understand the artistic choice -- emphasizing the extreme vulnerability of Katniss's day-to-day existence even before the Games -- but it did hurt my head. The acting is competent throughout: Jennifer Lawrence is determination personified as Katniss and Josh Hutcherson makes Peeta both likable and strong. I spent most of the movie confused by how much Liam Hemsworth (Gale, without much to do in this film) looks like a young David Boreanaz and admiring Stanley Tucci's scene-stealing turns as Caesar Flickerman, the Games' host. The shift to a third-person perspective not only allowed for some exposition to be delivered as commentary or as "backstage" preparation, but also gave Tucci more to do. It also puts Wes Bentley's Seneca Crane squarely on stage, creating and manipulating the Games -- he seemed a touch young for the role, but then again all the featured players in this film seem to be young, except Donald Sutherland. (And, honestly, when he says he likes you, you should expect that the only thing that gets you is the opportunity to fall on your sword in private after you fail him.) Woody Harrelson seems a bit subdued as Haymitch; I'd hoped for more crackle and oomph from him, but perhaps we'll get that in the following films. Worth seeing in the theater, but I'm looking forward to getting the right distance on those opening shaky-cam shots on a television screen once the DVD comes out.
I'd read the books, of course, before seeing this film, and wouldn't be surprised if it got in the running for Best Adapted Screenplay at next year's Oscars. The exposition was trimmed down without loss of essentials, leaving room for plenty of action. If the narrative suffers anywhere, it's in the falling action; the ending felt less rounded off than I would have liked, as if the filmmakers were already envisioning the ability to plug Catching Fire into the DVD player. A lot has been said about the use of shaky-cam shots -- for the most part I found them unoffensive, except at the very beginning when they were combined with a rapid series of close-ups. I kept shoving back in my seat in order to get away from the film and bring it into focus. I understand the artistic choice -- emphasizing the extreme vulnerability of Katniss's day-to-day existence even before the Games -- but it did hurt my head. The acting is competent throughout: Jennifer Lawrence is determination personified as Katniss and Josh Hutcherson makes Peeta both likable and strong. I spent most of the movie confused by how much Liam Hemsworth (Gale, without much to do in this film) looks like a young David Boreanaz and admiring Stanley Tucci's scene-stealing turns as Caesar Flickerman, the Games' host. The shift to a third-person perspective not only allowed for some exposition to be delivered as commentary or as "backstage" preparation, but also gave Tucci more to do. It also puts Wes Bentley's Seneca Crane squarely on stage, creating and manipulating the Games -- he seemed a touch young for the role, but then again all the featured players in this film seem to be young, except Donald Sutherland. (And, honestly, when he says he likes you, you should expect that the only thing that gets you is the opportunity to fall on your sword in private after you fail him.) Woody Harrelson seems a bit subdued as Haymitch; I'd hoped for more crackle and oomph from him, but perhaps we'll get that in the following films. Worth seeing in the theater, but I'm looking forward to getting the right distance on those opening shaky-cam shots on a television screen once the DVD comes out.