The first thing to get out of the way is that I'm not one of those fans who knew about The Hunger Games series a long way back, nor did I follow the casting process with anticipation at every turn. I only recenlty picked up the first book, but quickly found myself among those that were hooked almost instantly and found myself up late at night wanting to pour through the chapters one after another.
The most concerning aspect after getting through The Hunger Games was that the film version would fall flat in so many areas, mostly the overall tone of the book, which isn't a real happy-go-lucky kind of story, and maybe a bit darker than Hollywood would prefer to pitch to an audience not familiar with the novels. Thankfully, director Gary Ross has managed to not only nail down the darker aspects of the book, but was also able to streamline a lot of backstory into a fairly concise tale without really deluding too much of the impact on the overall narrative.
Most of the pressure surely rests on the shoulders of Jennifer Lawrence, but she seems to fit into Katniss' skin with ease and never once comes across as anything other than authentic in the role. Her plight is the driving force behind these stories and the film version would easily not have the wings it clearly does without her stellar performance included.
The action is at times quite frantic, with a bit of shaky-cam work thrown in, however just when you feel like Ross has shaken it once too many times, it quickly cuts back to a wider-panned shot that gives you a sense of balance again. This back and forth camera work truly engages you in the more kinetic parts of the film where the characters are in full on sprint in The Arena, but then lets you settle in afterwards and take in everything for a second and allows you to catch your breath.
The supporting cast does great work, with Woody Harrelson being a standout in his supporting role as Haymitch. He's quirky without being a charicature, and caring enough without being sappy. It's a difficult role that another actor could have made fairly cheesy or over the top, but Harrelson manages to walk the line quite well.
At the end of the day, fans are going to go pretty nuts for this adaptation. The screening I was at had multiple scenes where fans literally applauded simply for the fact that a scene had been picked straight out of the pages and put to life on screen. It's quite something to see great literaary work treated well, and Gary Ross has definitely given this film the treatment it deserves. If the sequels to this film follow the same path, then the fanbase is in for quite a ride. Non-fans will have something to latch onto as well, since this could easily appeal to someone totally unfamiliar with the source material.
Pleasantly surprised, and absolutely ready for the next installment by Ross, Lawrence and Co.
Grade: A