‘The Hunger Games’

“The Hunger Games” is based on Suzanne Collins’ best-selling novel, and part one of a trilogy. The books are somewhat geared toward young-adults and feature a quasi-love triangle. But don’t hold any of this against it, for like the novel— and unlike the recent (and passing) “Twilight” fad — this screen adaptation is an exciting and involving movie that is not afraid to get dark and gritty while pushing some boundaries along the way.

The future nation of Panem is divided into 12 districts and a Capitol, where the wealthiest Panem residents reside, including the ruthless President Snow (Donald Sutherland). There once was a 13^th district, but the Capitol destroyed it after a failed rebellion. As a lesson to the 12 other districts, the Capitol designed the Hunger Games, an annual event in which two teenagers, one male and one female, are chosen from each district to compete against each other to the death, leaving one survivor — one winner.

“The Hunger Games” begins on the morning of the “reaping,” the first stage of the 74^th annual games in which the two names are drawn at random from a fish bowl. District 12 resident Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a feisty, independent girl, badass and highly skilled at tracking and hunting with a bow and arrow. When her younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) is picked to enter the games, Katniss promptly volunteers to take her place. She fearlessly steps in front of her sister in an act of both fear and unconditional love.

Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), a seemingly uncharismatic kid who works with his mother in a bakery, joins Katniss in her first games. In preparation for the games, the pair of “tributes” are escorted by Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks in excessive rouge) and trained by their assigned mentor and former Hunger Games champion, Haymitch (Woody Harrelson).

Like the novel, the movie is one-half set-up and preparation. The second half is the actual games, where director Gary Ross wisely turns up the violence about as far as it can go under a PG-13 rating. There is no denying kid-on-kid violence is a difficult thing to see, but part of the purpose of this story is to force viewers to see the truths within the fiction. Ross realizes this and does not shy away from the implications of Collin’s novel. That would be a disservice.

Jennifer Lawrence is a force to be reckoned with, yet her skill is so subtle that you don’t notice it at first. She has a natural way about her, and is able to slip into the anti-Bella Swan role of Katniss easily. Lawrence is only 21 years old and has a long and promising career ahead of her.

Hutcherson is also good, if a bit too restrained at times, and as usual, Harrelson steals every scene he’s in. There are a number of other great actors having a lot of fun in this movie, including Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, a toothy commentator on the games, Wes Bentley as game designer Seneca Crane (what a beard!), and a menacing Donald Sutherland as the President of Panem.

At 142 minutes, “The Hunger Games” is a bit long but rarely dull. Collins, Ross and Billy Ray (writer/director of “Shattered Glass”) have skillfully adapted Collins’ source material, the key elements of which are familiar to readers:  A dystopian future. A destitute working class and its impending revolution against an elitist government run by the privileged, whose sins are carried out upon the children.

Using these elements, Ross manages to bring the tone and imagery of the book to the screen quite effortlessly. A lot of writers have denounced the handheld camerawork in the movie, but aside from a few poorly shot actions sequences in the final act, Ross and cinematographer Tom Stern, who has worked with director Clint Eastwood on his past 10 films, do a good job at capturing the reality television component of story — The Hunger Games are broadcast all around Panem and receive stellar ratings. People love reality TV.

★★★ (out of 4)