Adapting popular source material is both the easiest thing to do and the hardest. It's the easiest because there are fans; fans have money and will flock to the movie theater. It's the hardest because fans have feelings, and those feelings can slaughter at the box office, therefore ruining the opportunity for more movies. (Remember "The Golden Compass"? It's actually the first in a trilogy, but the second and third books were never adapted. If you saw the film version, you'll know why.)
I am a fan of Suzanne Collins' "Hunger Games" trilogy. I enjoyed the books and I recommend them to others. I've followed the casting and making of the film, as well as the accompanying endless speculation. And like any fan, I have a lot of feelings.
My feelings about "The Hunger Games" film? Very positive.
For those unfamiliar with the story, the movie (with a screenplay co-written by Collins) isn't difficult to follow: In the not too distant future, the country of Panem has been ripped apart by war. In the decades since peace was achieved, a boy and girl from each of the 12 Districts are selected by lottery to participate in the Hunger Games, a nationally televised and fully orchestrated death match with only one survivor. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is an ideal candidate for the Games: an accomplished hunter-gatherer from the impoverished coal-mining District 12, she single-handedly provides for her family.
But Katniss isn't selected for the Games. Instead, her younger sister Prim (Willow Shields) — shy, pale and essentially a sitting duck — is chosen. Katniss volunteers to take her place and is immediately transported to the Capitol with baker's son Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), District 12's male representative, and Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), District 12's only past winner, who has since become a bitter alcoholic. Katniss' survival skills and honest personality make her a clear favorite to win but also a target for her competitors, several of whom have trained their whole lives to participate in the Games and think nothing of literally stabbing one another in the back.
As a book, "The Hunger Games" lends itself well to the silver screen: high stakes, apocalyptic setting, a strong-willed lead and plenty of action. But as we know from the aforementioned "Golden Compass" and the recent "John Carter," these elements do not a successful film franchise make. Fortunately, the team behind "The Hunger Games" has taken a lot of care with the film adaptation, without ever pandering to the books' large and fervent fan base.
Director Gary Ross does an admirable job of sustaining tension throughout the entire film — not an easy feat with a two-and-a-half-hour running time. Quick camera angles and grainy film quality are used both sparingly and wisely, and the bleak and dusty District 12 is a sharp contrast to the Technicolor Capitol of Panem, as well as the man-made woods where the Games take place. The film's casting is equally wise and careful; the majority of the book's vivid characters practically leap off the screen. Hutcherson's Peeta is boyishly earnest, willing to accept a sure-to-be-grisly fate as well as his growing feelings for Katniss. Harrelson has a ball as the drunken Haymitch, gleefully relishing the comic relief and embracing the character's quieter moments. Wes Bentley's calculating gamemaker and Stanley Tucci's blue-haired emcee are both riveting, with Donald Sutherland an icy presence as Panem's president. Elizabeth Banks shines as fussy publicist Effie Trinket, and Lenny Kravitz holds forth as image coach Cinna, with a solemn subtlety similar to that of his caring nurse in 2009's "Precious."
In a class by herself, however, is Jennifer Lawrence. In many ways, she improves on the Katniss of the books, turning a tough, not always sympathetic individual into a well-rounded, achingly real human being. Katniss' fierce devotion to her sister is every bit as believable as her increasing respect for Peeta, her athletic prowess and her desire to survive. Lawrence has a lot to live up to portraying this well-loved character, and she doesn't just deliver. She exceeds.
The film isn't entirely perfect. As Katniss' hunting buddy and loyal friend Gale, Liam Hemsworth is a bit bland and the cast's only weak link. And Katniss' relationship with the youngest competitor Rue (the wonderfully winsome Amandla Stenberg) feels rushed. But overall, "The Hunger Games" is an adrenaline rush of a treat for rabid fans and newbies alike. In a world of $250 million flops, this film is a survivor.