" The Hunger Games" Review



             The Hunger Games is the first novel in the popular book series by Suzanne Collins. The popluarity of the novels have led to a successful movie franchise and the first movie has just come out on DVD. The story is set in the future and in this future there are twelve districts in the United States. There were thirteen districts, until district thirteen rebelled and the capitol destroyed them. Ever since then, the capitol has a "reaping" every year. This is where the capitol chooses one boy and one girl from each district, to fight for their lives in an arena. This is to prove the power the capitol has over the twelve districts. The tributes are sent into the arena with nothing to help them along the way. While in the arena they have the oppurtunity to fight other tributes for rights to food and supplies. Katniss is the main character. She is a strong-willed, determined young lady who stands by her beliefs. Originally, Katniss' sister Primrose is chosen as tribute. But, according to the rules of The Hunger Games another citizen can volunteer as tribute in place of the other. Katniss volunteers as tribute, in order to save her sister. Peeta Mellark is the boy tribute chosen from district twelve. Katniss uses her strengths with archery in order to stay alive in the games. Peeta secretly helps Katniss along the way. In the end, though, only one tribute can survive.

Reviews

David Edelstein of New York magazine writes, "Watching The Hunger Games, I was struck both by how slickly Ross [the director] hit his marks and how many opportunities he was missing to take the film to the next level - to make it more shocking, lyrical, crazy, daring."

Ross, of The New York Times, "has a way of smoothing even modestly irregular edges. Katniss, who for years has bagged game to keep her family from starving, was created for rough stuff -- for beating the odds and the state, for hunting squirrel and people both -- far rougher than Mr. Ross often seems comfortable with, perhaps because of disposition, inclination or some behind-the-scenes executive mandate."

Katniss and Peeta during The Hunger Games.



Katniss using her archery skills to before the games.