Hunger Games

Preface: I'm an enormous Jennifer Lawrence fan and I didn't read the books on this one.

I really enjoyed the Hunger Games as someone who knew VERY little about the story. The story is Earth, or wherever they are, had a revolt 75 years ago and in retribution of the revolt the 12 Districts the "world" is broken into has to offer a sacrifice of one 12-18 girl & boy to fight to the death for the enjoyment of others into THE HUNGER GAMES. They are filmed and it's a grand affair with banquets, a parade, and interviews. They train for four days, are judged, then it's game-time. It's a movie that REALLY should have been R-rated to convey more intensity and realism. My biggest beef, and it's a huge one is the Parkinson's camera as I call it. It's jittery and all over the place during action scenes. It bothered me an insane amount in Batman Begins and it's the same here. I hate jump cuts and shaky camera work. It's a total cop-out to good choreography and acting. It hides violence, which was probably necessary to secure a PG-13 rating, but it's super distracting. Very good ensemble cast with notables being Donald Sutherland, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, and Jennifer Lawrence. The other actors do well, especially the younger child actors. I just really couldn't get past the shaky camera work. Everything else was really good, I just hated the lack or realism and actual fighting/violence.

Bottom Line: 9.0 out of 10. Right up there with Girl with a Dragon Tattoo for best film of the year, not sure if that came out in 2012 come to think of it... Lawrence, Harrelson, and LENNY KRAVITZ deserve nods for really good performances. Highly recommend jumping out and seeing this movie while it's in theaters.