1
Posted March 27, 2012 by Earl Maghirang in Movies/TV
 
 

MOVIE REVIEW: Hunger Games

Synopsis: Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place for the latest match.

One of the most anticipated movies for this year – The Hunger Games is NOW IN THEATERS. This review is brought to us by National Book Store.

Reviewing the film “Hunger Games” which stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutchinson, Donald Sutherland and Woody Harrelson. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same title written by Suzanne Collins.

I really did not know what Hunger Games was until I sat in that darkened room of the premiere cinema of Shangrila. I did not bother to look up the story or the plot at the very least and I simply relied on what the trailer showed – which was not much. Just showing Lawrence running around the forest and preparing to fire an arrow.

When I got to see the movie, it was totally awesome. While in my opinion, it felt short when it comes to bad-ass action it made up with an engrossing story with a smart love story twist.

The story deals with Katniss Everdeen who volunteers to join the 74th Hunger Games in order to save her sister’s life. She joins Peeta Mellark, a neighbor from District 12 which is basically where all miners live in this new society. The Hunger Games in itself is a bloody reality show game held every year which is done to honor the people who died during the war decades ago. In this new world and in the game itself, the story revolves around Katniss as she tries to survive and ultimately return home to her family.

While the story was predictable to some extent, its still a great movie. I’m a bit concerned however about the violence that was in the movie. Yes its in the source material, but could they have toned it down a bit to make it less bloody? Good thing for censorship in this particular movie.

The casting for the characteristics were pretty spot on. Jennifer Lawrence’s take on Katniss seemed pretty natural. She had the physique that went along with the character and she was also very nice to look at on the silver screen. Her boyfriend Peeta was also a surprise to see. Peeta may not be a big name star at the moment but he’s certainly made the rounds. Hutchinson’s portrayal of Peeta was very simple and ok for me. It might be that he was so attached to the “Journey” movies thats why I have a hard time trying to wrap my brains around him being the future husband of Katniss.

Three other great casting calls for this movie was Donald Sutherland as the stoic and nefarious President Snow together with the District 12 mentor Haymitch Abernathy who is played by Woody Harrelson. Finally massive props for including rocker Lenny Kravitz as the stylist Cinna who easily becomes Katniss’ friend and ally through her stay in District 1.

The cinematography was awesome. I really have nothing to say about how they shot the film. Also another thing I wish to comment on is the costumes that they use. I totally want to get the jacket that Katniss and Peeta was wearing throughout the second half of the film.

Overall, there’s really nothing wrong with this film. And this is definitely going to prove naysayers that the Hunger Games is not another “Twilight” in the making. It does not have any sparkling vampires and there are certainly no werewolves wearing tight denim shorts anywhere in the forest.

Other reviews from our partners:

 

The Hunger Games REVIEW
By: Lakwatsera Lovers

Finally after a long wait The Hunger Games opens today and thanks to Movie Punch I was able to attend the special screening last night at SM Megamall. This is the first time I watched a jam-packed advance screening for a foreign movie as a lot of people took seats on the floor to experience the most anticipated movie this year.

Every year the Capitol hosts an annual game called the Hunger Games in which one girl and boy in each district aged 12-18 are drawn via lottery to participate in a televised battle for survival as everyone should kill one another to become the sole survivor. >> Read the full entry here.

 

 

The Hunger Games REVIEW
By: Films and Events Check

The sequel to 2010’s Clash of the TitansWrath of the Titans takes Perseus (Sam Worthington), demigod, hero and Kraken killer, in another save-the-world adventure.
Ten years after famously defeating the monster Kraken, Perseus’s quiet fisherman life with his 10-year-old son Helius is disrupted when a division broke between the triumvirate gods: his father Zeus (Liam Neeson) and Poseidon (Danny Huston) versus Hades (Ralph Fiennes). Hades takes with him a minion, Ares (Zeus’s jealous son filled with daddy issues), to switch to the enemy camp: the imprisoned Titans, led by the triumvirate’s imprisoned daddy, the lava Titan monster Kronos. Perseus, the reluctant hero-demigod, is suddenly forced to rescue his father Zeus from the Underworld to prevent the Titans and their dangerously growing power from destroying the gods…and humanity.

>> Read the full entry here.


Earl Maghirang