The Box Office Hit That'll Make You Hungry for the Books

I must admit, I was skeptical when The Hunger Games madness began to ensue. Like that of a certain boy wizard, the hoopla of The Hunger Games began with a book. I, myself was once spellbound for the Harry Potter franchise, and alas I was even lured in to the sparkly vampire love story (Twilight) that had box office numbers skyrocketing. After that died down, I was not looking for another series of books to read, but if Suzanne Collins found a way to make the books better than the movie, then I will certainly take the time to read The Hunger Games trilogy.

The plot is a work of genius. The set designers do a phenomenal job creating the futuristic nation (Panem) made up of twelve districts that specialize in various agriculture to support the Capitol (a totalitarian government with infinite technology). Two children are chosen from each district randomly as tributes to fight in the Capitol's "Hunger Games". These brutal, to-the-death games are used to prevent another uprising of the people of Panem against the Capitol and to show the dictatorship's power. The games are controlled solely by the Capitol with a technology that can create animals and fire out of thin air and strategically place care packages for the adolescent contenders. They can make or break the children, literally. Twenty-four of the opponents are dolled up and interviewed like royal celebrities for two weeks before the fighting begins. Spoiler Alert: By the end of the games, only one child will live.

The almost too realistic effects of this movie cause the audience to experience an emotional ride. Jennifer Lawrence does such a remarkable job as the heroine (Katniss) that no other young actress could achieve. The battles are insane and the characters are ruthless. It is definitely not comparative to a Mr. Potter in that regard as the children in The Hunger Games came to win and for most of them, that means slicing and dicing their opponents with the various weapons found in the games.

Although the books are made for young adults, I think this movie is great for college students and adults. It has a great storyline, strong actors, violence, and cool effects as well as an emotional connection that makes us view our own nation with a different perspective.

After seeing the film adaptation, it is clear why Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games trilogy is bestselling. The Hunger Games film opened in theatres March 23, 2012.