“THE HUNGER GAMES” (2012): A GOOD DYSTOPIAN SCIENCE FICTION FILM

It is a 2012 American dystopian science fiction-adventure film directed by Gary Ross and based on Suzanne Collins’s 2008 novel of the same name. 

It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series and was produced by Nina Jacobson and Jon Kilik, with a screenplay by Ross, Collins, and Billy Ray.

The film stars Jennifer Lawrence (she has a post in my blog), Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland:

The story takes place in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in the nation of Panem, where a boy and a girl from each of the nation's 12 Districts are chosen annually as "tributes" and forced to compete in The Hunger Games, an elaborate televised fight to the death. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her younger sister's place, and with her district's male tribute, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), travels to the Capitol to train and compete in the games.

Development of The Hunger Games began in March 2009 when Lions Gate Entertainment entered into a co-production agreement with Color Force, which had acquired the rights a few weeks earlier. Collins collaborated with Ray and Ross to write the screenplay. The screenplay expanded the character of Seneca Crane to allow several developments to be shown directly to the audience and Ross added several scenes between Crane and Coriolanus Snow. The main characters were cast between March and May 2011. Principal photography began in May 2011 and ended in September 2011, with filming taking place in North Carolina.

The film was released on March 21, 2012, in some European countries and in the US and UK on March 23, 2012, in both conventional theaters and digital IMAX theaters. Japan received it last, on September 28. When the film was released, it set records for opening day ($67.3 million) and opening weekend for a non-sequel. At the time of its release, the film's opening weekend gross ($152.5 million) was the third-largest of any film in North America. It is the first film since Avatar to remain in first place at the North American box office for four consecutive weekends. The film was a massive box-office success by grossing over $694 million worldwide against its budget of $78 million, making it the third-highest-grossing film in the United States and ninth-highest-grossing film of 2012. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 18, 2012. With 7,434,058 units sold, the DVD was the best-selling DVD of 2012. The second installment, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, was released on November 22, 2013, in the United States.

The Hunger Games received positive reviews from critics, with praise for its themes and messages, as well as Jennifer Lawrence's portrayal of Katniss; some criticism was levelled at the film's reliance on shaky cam, especially in the action sequences, and its similarities to other works. 

The film's soundtrack featured the song "Safe & Sound", which was sung by American singer Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars; it won a Grammy Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. For her performance, Lawrence won the Saturn Award for Best Actress, the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie, the Empire Award for Best Actress and was also nominated for the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress.

Plot

As punishment for a failed rebellion, the 12 districts of Panem are forced by the Capitol to select two tributes each, one boy and one girl between ages 12 and 18, to fight to the death in the annual Hunger Games until there is only one survivor. In District 12, after her younger sister Primrose is chosen, 16-year old Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her place. The mayor's daughtor, Marge, gives Katniss a mockingjay pin. She and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark are then escorted to the Capitol by their chaperone Effie Trinket and mentor Haymitch Abernathy, the only Games winner from District 12. Haymitch stresses the importance of gaining sponsors, as they can provide potentially life-saving gifts during the Games. While training, Katniss observes the "Careers" (Marvel, Glimmer, Cato and Clove), volunteers from the wealthy Districts 1 and 2 who have trained for the Games from an early age. During a televised interview with Caesar Flickerman, Peeta expresses his love for Katniss, which she initially sees as an attempt to attract sponsors; she later learns his admission is genuine.

At the start of the Games, Katniss ignores Haymitch's advice and grabs some of the supplies placed around the Cornucopia, a structure at the starting point, and narrowly escapes death. Half of the 24 tributes die in the initial melee, and only eleven, including the Careers, survive the first day. Katniss tries to stay away from the others, but Seneca Crane, the Head Gamemaker, triggers a forest fire to drive her towards them. She runs into the Careers, with whom Peeta has seemingly allied, and flees up a tree. 

Peeta advises the Careers to wait her out. The next morning, Katniss notices Rue, District 11's young female tribute, hiding in an adjacent tree. Rue draws her attention to a nest of tracker jackers, genetically modified poisonous wasps. Using a knife, Katniss saws off the branch holding the nest, causing it to fall on the Careers sleeping below; Glimmer dies, but the others escape. Katniss becomes disoriented from being stung a few times. Peeta returns and tells her to flee.

Rue helps Katniss recover, and they become friends and allies. Katniss destroys the supplies the Careers stockpiled by detonating mines guarding them, while Rue provides a distraction. Katniss later finds and frees Rue from a trap, but Marvel throws a spear at Katniss which impales Rue. Katniss kills him with an arrow. She comforts Rue and, after she dies, adorns her body with flowers. This triggers a riot in District 11. President Coriolanus Snow warns Crane about the unrest.

Haymitch persuades Crane to change the rules to allow two winners provided they are from the same district, suggesting that this will pacify the public. After the announcement, Katniss finds a gravely wounded Peeta. Another announcement promises that what each survivor needs the most will be provided at the Cornucopia the next morning. Despite Peeta's vehement opposition, Katniss leaves to get medicine for him, but she is ambushed and overpowered by Clove, who gloats about Rue's death and prepares to kill her. Thresh, District 11's male tribute, overhears and kills Clove. He spares Katniss once, for Rue's sake. The medicine heals Peeta overnight.

While hunting for food, Katniss hears a cannon go off, signalling a death. She races to Peeta, who has unwittingly collected deadly nightlock berries. They discover "Foxface", District 5's female tribute, dead from eating what she assumed were edible berries from watching Peeta.

Crane then unleashes genetically modified beasts. They kill Thresh and force Katniss, Peeta, and Cato - the last three survivors - onto the Cornucopia's roof. Cato gets Peeta in a headlock and uses him as a human shield against Katniss's bow. Peeta directs Katniss to shoot Cato's hand, enabling Peeta to throw him to the beasts below. Katniss kills him with an arrow to end his suffering.

Crane then revokes the rule change allowing two victors to win. Peeta urges Katniss to shoot him, but she convinces him to eat nightlock together. Just before they do, Crane hastily declares them co-victors. Afterward, Haymitch warns Katniss that she has made enemies through these acts of defiance. Snow has Crane locked in a room with nightlock berries.