The Hunger Games

What would you do for someone you love?  There is no greater form of love than giving your life for someone else.  Sacrifice is often talked about, but how many have ever faced death willingly?

North America toppled after severe war, drought and famine.  She has been rebuilt into one country known as Panem.  There are 12 districts and in each district a male and female's name is chosen randomly in an annual hunger games event.  It is the 74th annual Hunger Games and Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields) is terrified at the thought of her name being chosen to compete. 

Every time a citizen wants food, the government will provide for them on one condition, their name gets added to the list of people chosen for the hunger games.  Each time someone gets food, their name gets added again.  Primrose has never taken much food so the odds of her name being picked for the games are very small.
In the games, a total of 24 participants are selected to fight to the death.  It is a game of survival and only one male or female can win.  As the announcer goes over to the jar full of names tension is rising, she opens the piece of paper and says, "Primrose Everdeen."  There is silence as Primrose slowly walks towards the stage, the guards surround her and all of a sudden her sister Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) shouts, "I volunteer!"

Katniss makes her way to the stage and a male is selected, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson).  Mellark has a crush on Katniss since 'forever' so how will he compete to the death against his childhood love?  Once Katniss learns of Mellark's admiration she is immediately torn between him and Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), her first love.  The chances of either of them winning are slim since district 12 has only won the hunger games once. 

Director, Gary Ross, delivered the sense of fear, hope and love to the audience using visual effects such as a bleak background while filming district 12 then changing into colorful costumes and hair as Katniss and Peeta made their way into the Capitol city.  I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, routing for Katniss.  I loved that it kept you guessing the whole way through to the end, even the end was surprising.  I throughly enjoyed the suspenseful nature of the film as well as the eccentric costumes.  It is hard to pick apart this movie since every actor, even the villians, did an amazing job.  Go see The Hunger Games you will be throughly entertained!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNxb28j5C1w&ob=av3e

Suspenseful

Rated: PG-13

142 minutes