> REVIEW
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The Hunger Games (2012)
Let the games begin…
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By Carol Vine | March 2012
DIRECTOR: Gary Ross
WRITER(s): Billy Ray/Suzanne Collins (screenplay/source)
Director Gary Ross creates, in his adaptation of Suzanne Collin’s best-selling book The Hunger Games, a stylish and confident piece that is well-paced and for the most part thoroughly entertaining, sagging only slightly in parts, and having all the elements of a classic heroine story without descending too deeply into schmaltz.
In a futuristic dystopian society, overdressed leaders with a flamboyance that echoes the Rococo, brutally rule over twelve “Districts”, where the class divide is so severe that much of the population is close to starving. “The Hunger Games” is the cruel yearly ritual used by the Capitol elite to suppress the poorer masses – a highly publicised and grossly heightened reality TV event, where a boy and a girl from each District are picked, lottery-style, as “tributes”, to participate in a fight to the death – through combat, exposure or starvation, until only one remains.
The Zeitgeist element to the piece is large, and obvious – the twisted sensationalism of reality television taken to extreme. Nowadays it is familiar, but still effective. And there’s an edge of satire in the cynical treatment of TV culture – where a real expression of sentiment, as the defiantly decent Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) confesses publicly his feelings for Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) – is instantly seized upon as a ratings booster.
But despite the horror of the premise, we’re shielded from the real brutality of the piece by sentiment, and frequently a camera that can’t stay still – generally when we’re in danger of seeing something nasty – we’re shaken around to the point where the action is indistinct. Perhaps this can be attributed to the 12A certificate, but it is also somewhat distracting.
But throughout, the elements of tension, excitement and sympathy are superbly paced. The warped cynicism of this future is portrayed excellently – and though stylistically seems to veer towards pantomime at times, actually this only heightens the cruelty of the issue – a misguided and awful ritual to maintain fear (and hope) in a divided society, the repression of rebellious thought or action, the extreme violation of human rights.
The performances are excellent, with great comedy/pathos coming from the drunkenly likable Woody Harrelson as the mentor. But by far the most striking is the extraordinary charisma and maturity of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, who gives a quietly determined and intelligent performance, and seems far older than her years.
The other tributes could be better developed, though there’s the obvious problem of how to set up the world of the novel fully without it being a screen-time muddle of backstory and too many subplots. The two dimensional aspect to most of the tributes, however, does lessen the emotional impact of the situation they’re in and what they have to do to each other. Not that this ultimately quells any enjoyment of the film, as a smart and fiercely engaging blockbuster.
Script…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Co written by Billy Ray and Suzanne Collins, the script is far from sensational,
but conveys what it needs to with assurance. 3
Direction………………………………………………………………………………………..
A confident undertaking of a difficult adaptation. Ross streamlines the novel
with the right dramatic beats and although there are too many characters to be
fully developed, allows the young leads plenty of room to realise their roles. 4
Verdict…………………………………………………………………………………………..
A compelling piece led by a virtually failsafe premise, attention to detail and
excellent performances – most notably the striking and charismatic Jennifer Lawrence. A visually enthralling, sentimental blockbuster with a hard edge. 4
