The Hunger Games

Since Hollywood'll run out of Twilight books this year, they've decided to go elsewhere on the book shelf for ideas. Hence, they've drawn out The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins. Even if you're not an avid fan of this franchise, you won't be disappointed with what's on screen.

Life stinks for Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who lives in District 12 of Panem (formerly North America). Ever since a great revolt way back ago, the Districts have each been commanded to offer up a boy and girl for an annual competition. These are the eponymous Hunger Games, and there's one winner and 23 dead losers.

Her little sis, Primrose (Willow Shields), gets called for the games unexpectedly, so Katniss immediately offers herself instead. The big wigs accept her offer, but now she has to compete against her pal Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). And it's all going to play out live on TV.

For a 2 1/2 hour film, this surely has one of the fastest screenplays I've seen. What I've summarized is just in the first twelve or so minutes, and it is some effective exposition. It continues to keep up the audience's interest by making its characters, even the doomed ones, interesting. This helps make its action scenes some of the most suspenseful this year.

What's also memorable is how the film uses color. In the wilderness, and in the 12 Districts, it's bleak and subdued. In Panem's capitol, the buildings, the clothes and the makeup are exercises in excess. That's all thanks to some incredible production work, who ought to get called out for Oscars next year.

Yeah, I know it's early, but as the past few years have shown, Oscar has a good memory.

Overall, it's greatest strength is that it's not excessively melodramatic or brutal. Instead, it finds the right balance with both and the result'll satisfy fans and non-fans alike. At least, until the sequel, Catching Fire, comes out around next year.