The beloved book written by Suzanne Collins became a box office hit just before Spring Break, as the film version made twice as much as was spent on its  production in its first week. The Hunger Games trilogy started off as just one book, that one author hoped would make it big among young readers. This book will be remembered as a cult classic of this generation, because it started as a book and became a hit film directed by director Gary Ross.

This film was Ross’s eighth as a director and screenplay writer. His adaptation of the book was interpreted by lead actor, and actress Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark), and Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen). The actors had to prepare for an emotionally rigorous journey. They proved successful in their performance on screen. These two talented young actors seemed a little old for their roles by looks, but were able to portray the characters they were assigned in changing their personalities to match those of their parts.

The Hunger Games is about a post-revolutionary era in a country called Panem where the upper-class won. The losers (the lower-class) were forced to live in 13 districts, but the oppressive government destroyed the rebellious thirteenth district to teach the citizens a lesson. The remaining 12 districts are forced to give up two children (one boy, and one girl) to be sent into the “arena” to fight to the death for unlimited riches, and more importantly, their lives. For the PG-13 movie rating that was given, the filmmakers weren’t able to utilize the violence of the book, but still able to stick to their goal of depicting Panem’s cruel games.

Reading the novel gives the viewer a higher respect for the film, along with a level of understanding much different than those who didn’t have time to read the beautiful literary piece. The viewers who expected a violent film may have left disappointed, because that’s not what the film is about. As a modern male reader of the series, I expected a fair amount of violence to coincide with the romance between the star-crossed lovers Peeta and Katniss. I did not mind the romantic element, and actually enjoyed watching the development of the couple’s passion for each other. The lovey-dovey moments were often triumphed by murders, and other constantly occurring events that trumped romance. I don’t want to go into too much detail about the film, or the book so that maybe I can encourage my peers to pick up the book themselves. Or, of course, go to the theater and see it.

Those hardcore  fans of the Hunger Games novels who refuse to accept the reality that adapted screenplays are not always as good as the book may be disappointed in this film. If you are one of those bandwagon movie-goers who only sees the movies that your friends are seeing, then you may really enjoy this movie. Unless you are a teenage boy hoping to see two and a half hours of blood and gore. The movie lacked that due to its PG-13 rating. This rating was most likely set to appeal to a younger crowd, so the film could have a larger audience — and higher gross. If the film were rated R, then the gore in the film would have been epic.

I thought this movie was a masterpiece. The emotional roller coaster ride for the audience was tragic, but necessary. The rising action of the film followed that of the book. Both were done beautifully. The climactic moment in the movie was not as epic as I hoped for, but what I had hoped for may only have been appropriate for rated-R screens. I give this film a 9 out of 10. I deducted a point for not utilizing the CGI aspect of filmmaking to its full potential. The screenwriter could have taken the scene from the book where Katniss hallucinates, and turned it into something much worse. This of course may be questionable among those who like the PG-13 rating. But the film would not have had to have been rated R from this addition. They could have made the scene youth friendly.

Also, the CGI coordinators could have taken the constructed cornucopia and done more interesting things to it. I was dissapointed with the cornucopia in the film, because it was not a monstrous golden structure that seduced the tributes into killing each other. Even though seduced may not have been the right word to describe anything that happened in Panem’s famous arena. Yet again, I might add that my ideal movie would have featured some R rated content. I suggest this movie to all ages. I hope you all like it as much as I did, and so “may the odds be ever in your favor.”