Doc Reviews: The Hunger Games
I saw this movie because I've had a crush on Jennifer Lawrence since her oily hair, all covered-up, methneck opus, Winter's Bone. Her rise to stardom was well deserved and Hollywood needs more starlets like her, as opposed to the Hiltons and Kardashians of the world. I have not read the books.
This was the role she was made for. Maybe it's her humble and lower-class background, but she can handle these roles well. It's much like Winter's Bone in that respect. Only this is a sci-fi action flick, where that was a slow-brooding detective flick.
Other than swooning over Lawrence, two things really stood out for me with this film: 1) it's a very competent, near future science fiction tale. I enjoyed and could believe the Orwellian, conservative Utopian future it portrayed. It was a perfect story to incubate out of the Bush/reality television years. 2) The sound design in this movie is incredible! There are moments when the suspense, agitation, ineptitude and action all are heightened by the choice and timing of effects and places where negative space is allowed to linger to drive the state of fear and the unknown through the audience. It is really outstanding and something I haven't noticed since perhaps the gunfight in Open Range.
On the downside the Fifth Element-esque costuming left something to be desired, but perhaps, it did in ways poke fun of the ridiculousness of fashion? Also, the grand finale was a bit flat, but that could be an adaptation problem? Still though, those items aside, this is a good film and one I enjoyed far more than Twilight and some more than Harry Potter. Yet, it's no Lord of the Rings.
I will go see it again. And so should you.
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