REVIEW: THE HUNGER GAMES

Not since "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" and the last few "Twilight" films has a film generated such a massive buzz as "The Hunger Games."  And that is where the comparisons end.

There's no need to rehash what you've already heard: Jennifer Lawrence is hot, kids kill kids, and it's "Battle Royale 2012."  I've yet to see "Battle Royale," but the two things aforementioned are true.  The books are one of the best young adult series....published. Ever.  That's why it's necessary to read the books to fully get the movie.  This won't be a chore, you breeze past the first book and are halfway through the second before realizing you haven't gotten out of your chair to take a break.

The movie is a complete success, both as an original action film and an adaptation of its source.  It starts out with Katniss comforting her little sister Prim, as she awakes from a nightmare.  It's curious to see Lawrence in "The Hunger Games," because it's nearly identical to the one she played in 2010's Best Picture nominee "Winter's Bone."  The films couldn't be on more different ends of the spectrum; "Bone" was tiny, independent movie that got big awards buzz...and "The Hunger Games" is this mammoth of a film that could easily have gone into mindless blockbuster territory.  But Gary Ross, who did a fine job on "Seabiscuit" some eight years ago stays alarmingly true to the novel.

The cinematography is one of the first things to commend.  The word to describe it is hyperactive, not quite the shaky-camera thing that Paul Greengrass does, but it's kinetic.  It places you right into the Hunger Games, and the city of Panem.  Reading the book I wasn't quite sure what the Capitol of Panem would look like.  The citizens wear these expensive looking make-up items, ridiculous hair styles and blinding colors.  It makes sense because District 12, where Katniss hails, is essentially a trailer park.  The Capitol chooses to wear these flamboyant colors...just because they have the money to do so.  I doubt our universe will ever head in that direction, but if it does, it'll be a frightening one.

Tucci has the most fun as Caesar Flickerman

The character Katniss is like a teenage, female Atticus Finch.  She does noble things, like volunteer in place for her sister, she's stern when she has to be, she does what she can to fight for her family and friends.  She befriends little Rue, (SPOILER ALERT: who is played so closely to what the book describes her as, a small, feeble but determined girl, that it gets to you when she dies, even accounting for her small screen time.)  In fact the whole cast is fantastic, no weak links whatsoever.  Woody Harrelson especially, he doesn't play Haymitch over-the-top like some people might.  Stanley Tucci must have really enjoyed playing TV host Caesar Flickerman, which by the way is one of the best character names, period.  He plays him with such entertaining gusto, the way he feeds off the audience's applause and gives exaggerated fake smiles to the tributes he knows he won't see again.

The movie isn't even particularly violent, a good half of it is preparing for the Games, making the audience more and more anxious as it builds up to it.  Despite the title, the book isn't really about the Hunger Games, just like "Seabiscuit" wasn't truly about Seabiscuit the horse.  It's about the people around it, and although the Games play a large part, it'll always come second to the emotional conflicts Katniss faces when dealt with these horrifying circumstances.  Emotional drama and interesting social commentary are packed into this great blockbuster package.  I'm not going to waste time telling you to go see this movie, in all likelihood you probably have by now.  But if you're critical of the series in general or just haven't read the books, it's a terrific film, that, like Harry Potter, works on a number of levels that make it appealing to everyone, and not just the average sci-fi nerd.

Rating: 3.5/4 stars