Epic 'Games' surprisingly intimate
By Christy Lemire |
March 23, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
RECENTLY, I made the mistake of joking on Twitter about the possibility of a Team Peeta vs. Team Gale dynamic, referring to the two young men who hold special places in the heart of Katniss Everdeen, the 16-year-old heroine of "The Hunger Games."
Some people played along but many were appalled at the very idea of something as cliched and flimsy as a love triangle defining the young woman they've come to admire so fiercely from Suzanne Collins' best-selling trio of novels, the first adaptation of which makes its way to the screen last weekend amid great fervor and expectation.
Those same fans should be thoroughly satisfied with the faithfulness of Gary Ross' film, with its propulsive nature and vivid imagery: a mix of decadent costumes and architecture and harsh, unforgiving exteriors. At its center is Jennifer Lawrence, an ideal choice to play this strong, independent young woman. Those who saw her Oscar-nominated performance in 2010's "Winter's Bone" already were aware of her startling screen presence - her natural beauty, instincts and maturity beyond her years. And yet there's a youthful energy and even a vulnerability that makes her relatable to the core, target audience of female fans. Lawrence is endlessly watchable, and she better be, since she's in nearly every single shot of Ross' film.
And speaking of Ross, he may seem an unlikely choice to direct a movie about a futuristic, fascist world in which teenagers must fight each other to the death in an exploitative display of national loyalty and pride. He is, after all, the man behind charming and uplifting films as "Dave," "Pleasantville" and "Seabiscuit." But those movies, while based on high-concept premises, ultimately had pointed things to say about politics and society. The methodology of "The Hunger Games" may be more complicated but its darkly satirical message is unmistakable. The makers of "The Hunger Games" have managed the difficult feat of crafting a film that feels both epic and intimate at once.
A post-apocalyptic version of North America has been divided into 12 districts. Every year, a teenage boy and girl from each are selected randomly at the "Reaping" and sent to the opulent, art deco Capitol, where they're made over, trained and primed to fight each other until one is left standing in the sprawling arena. Every minute of competition is breathlessly broadcast to the nation.
Katniss lives with her widowed mother and beloved younger sister, Prim, in the distant District 12, known for its poverty and mining. An expert hunter with a bow and arrow, she spends her days seeking food for her family in the forest with her best friend, the hunky Gale (Liam Hemsworth). But when Prim's name is called at the Reaping, Katniss springs into action to volunteer instead. Katniss' male counterpart is Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), the baker's sweet but bland son. Together they're to receive mentoring from the frequently inebriated Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), the last winner from District 12.
"The Hunger Games" runs nearly two-and-a-half hours in length but is rare in that it never drags and doesn't overstay its welcome.
Some people played along but many were appalled at the very idea of something as cliched and flimsy as a love triangle defining the young woman they've come to admire so fiercely from Suzanne Collins' best-selling trio of novels, the first adaptation of which makes its way to the screen last weekend amid great fervor and expectation.
Those same fans should be thoroughly satisfied with the faithfulness of Gary Ross' film, with its propulsive nature and vivid imagery: a mix of decadent costumes and architecture and harsh, unforgiving exteriors. At its center is Jennifer Lawrence, an ideal choice to play this strong, independent young woman. Those who saw her Oscar-nominated performance in 2010's "Winter's Bone" already were aware of her startling screen presence - her natural beauty, instincts and maturity beyond her years. And yet there's a youthful energy and even a vulnerability that makes her relatable to the core, target audience of female fans. Lawrence is endlessly watchable, and she better be, since she's in nearly every single shot of Ross' film.
And speaking of Ross, he may seem an unlikely choice to direct a movie about a futuristic, fascist world in which teenagers must fight each other to the death in an exploitative display of national loyalty and pride. He is, after all, the man behind charming and uplifting films as "Dave," "Pleasantville" and "Seabiscuit." But those movies, while based on high-concept premises, ultimately had pointed things to say about politics and society. The methodology of "The Hunger Games" may be more complicated but its darkly satirical message is unmistakable. The makers of "The Hunger Games" have managed the difficult feat of crafting a film that feels both epic and intimate at once.
A post-apocalyptic version of North America has been divided into 12 districts. Every year, a teenage boy and girl from each are selected randomly at the "Reaping" and sent to the opulent, art deco Capitol, where they're made over, trained and primed to fight each other until one is left standing in the sprawling arena. Every minute of competition is breathlessly broadcast to the nation.
Katniss lives with her widowed mother and beloved younger sister, Prim, in the distant District 12, known for its poverty and mining. An expert hunter with a bow and arrow, she spends her days seeking food for her family in the forest with her best friend, the hunky Gale (Liam Hemsworth). But when Prim's name is called at the Reaping, Katniss springs into action to volunteer instead. Katniss' male counterpart is Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), the baker's sweet but bland son. Together they're to receive mentoring from the frequently inebriated Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), the last winner from District 12.
"The Hunger Games" runs nearly two-and-a-half hours in length but is rare in that it never drags and doesn't overstay its welcome.
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