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Classic Review: The Hunger Games (2012)

11/16/2015

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"The Hunger Games" stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Elizabeth Banks. Released on March 23, 2012, the film is about a young woman who volunteers to take her younger sister's place to compete in an annual television event.
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The film is directed by Gary Ross, who also directed Pleasantville and Seabiscuit. It is based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins, and it is the first installment of the Hunger Games film franchise. To celebrate the upcoming release of the Hunger Games finale, Mockingjay Part 2, I decided to look back at the film that started it all. In case you're wondering, I have not read any of the Hunger Games books, mostly because I read for school purposes. The first time seeing this film was during the staff screening for me and the employees at the cinema on opening weekend (Yes, I work at the cinema). I was so excited that I didn't even bother to sleep since they started the film at around midnight. So that's basically how I became interested in the franchise, but I didn't quite explain to you guys why I really liked this film.

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The cast delivered some pretty good performances for a book-to-film adaptation. Jennifer Lawrence was brilliant as Katniss Everdeen, a young woman who competes in the Hunger Games. Truth be told, this was the first film I've seen Lawrence in, and she blew me away. The character of Katniss was very well developed because not only was she courageous and full of heart, but she's also vulnerable in her own way. Josh Hutherson and Liam Hemsworth both provided good performances as Peeta and Gale, respectively. The production design was really stunning in terms of location. The dystopian future that the film takes place in doesn't stray too far into something that's far-fetched, but rather expresses the realism of that future. I also really enjoyed the costume design in terms of its stylistic look and how they represent the characters, especially Effie Trinket (played by Elizabeth Banks). The screenplay works well with the film's political themes and emotional depth. It's actually quite scary to see this type of stuff happening to us because of how it's portrayed on the screen. It almost felt like I was part of that situation myself. Ross did a great job at showcasing the characters' feelings during those types of situations.

There were some parts in the film where the editing felt a little choppy, but it didn't exactly bother me that much because I understand that they were going for a PG-13 rating. The cinematography was pretty good, but the shaky cam for some of the action sequences was a bit too much. Sometimes it's hard for me to see what's going on during those sequences, and that's what brought the film a step down from being a perfect adaptation. The pacing is mostly consistent with its running time, although it can be a bit slow for some people. You see, the actual games doesn't start until the second half of the film, which means the first half revolves around the preparation of the event. For those who wanted to see the intensity and violence of the Hunger Games, well, you have to get past the first half of the film first. I didn't mind watching the first half because it gave me time to know and care about the main characters.
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Overall, despite its shaky cam problem and some slow pacing, "The Hunger Games" is a worthy and engaging adaptation to one of the most popular young adult novels ever made thanks to some strong performances, its political themes, Ross' direction, and its solid, yet sometimes emotional, screenplay. Fans of the book series will definitely like this film, even those who enjoy dystopian films. May the odds be ever in your favor.

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    • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Ultimate Ed-Chronicles >
      • The 'Beginnings' Saga >
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Rise of Maleficent >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Rise of Maleficent Full Movie
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          • Transformers: Legend of the Black Cauldron Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Penguins of Madagascar >
          • EEEMTPOM Full Movie
        • The Eds and Iron Man: Dawn of the Blowhole >
          • The Eds and Iron Man Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Fast and the Furious >
          • EEE: The Fast and the Furious Full Movie
        • The Eds and Kung Fu Panda: Battle for China >
          • The Eds and Kung Fu Panda Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King: The Full Circle >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Thumbelina: Revenge of the Shredder >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Thumbelina Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Journey to Neverland >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Journey to Neverland Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: All Tangled Up >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy: All Tangled Up Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure >
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure Chapter One Full Movie
          • Ed, Edd n Eddy's Frozen Adventure Chapter Two Full Movie
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Edventures in San Fransokyo
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Return to Neverland
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy vs The League of Evil
      • The 'Avengers' Saga >
        • The Eds and the Little Mermaid: Age of Extinction
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Ghostbusters
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: A Sea of Adventure
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets Anastasia
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy meets the Incredibles
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Lion King 2: Simba's Pride
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Brand New Zootopia
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Into the Sugar Rush
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy and the Big Sea Quest
        • Ed, Edd n Eddy: Heroes Assemble
      • The 'Justice' Saga >
        • The Loud Ghostbusters: Man of Steel
        • The Eds and Batman: Purge Night
        • Wonder Woman meets Hercules
        • Eds V Louds: God Versus Man
        • Eds V Louds: Doomsday
    • The Loud Ghostbusters >
      • The Loud Ghostbusters: Answer the Call
      • The Loud Ghostbusters: Jump Street
    • Thor and the Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
    • SpongeBob and Thor: Sponge Out of Water
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