The basic story line of The Hunger Games, is every year each of the 12 Districts will select at random a boy and girl ages 12-18 years old to represent their District in the annual Hunger Games. This places all 24 of the young boys and girls into a predesigned and very intricate arena in order to fight to the death. The winner will receive extra food and oil for an entire year for their District. Katniss Everdeen's younger sister has been chosen, and in order to spare her from entering the arena, Katniss volunteered to go instead. Her and Peeta Mellark are the to tributes that represent District 12 at the 74th annual Hunger Games. I thought that the screen writing was pretty good, and that is attributed to the fact that the Suzanne Collins was involved with the writing of the screen play. It is always better when an author is a part of the screen writing process. They are there to help make sure that no major details are left out, and the emphasis is in all to right places. There where only two complaints that I had, and that was with the mockingjay pin. How Katniss gets the pin in movie is much different from in the novel. In the novel, the major of District 12's daughter gives her the pin. It is a true token from her District. The other complaint I had was that in the movie, Cinna, her fashion designer, places the pin in a hidden place before she enters the arena. In the novel, she is able to wear a token from her District and it is out for all of Panem to see. This becomes important in the later novels.
I found that the acting choices for the characters to be good ones. I was very apprehensive at first with Jenniner Lawerance at Katniss, but after viewing the film for a second time, I really thought that she did a pretty good job. Woody Harrelson could not have been a better choice for the drunkard Haymitch, although I would have liked to have seen him drinking a little bit more. Josh Hutcherson did a wonderful job as the quiet and baker Peeta. Elizabeth Banks surprised me with her portrayal of Effie Trinket. She couldn't have done a better job. The only thing that I was not happy actor wise, was Lenny Kravitz as Cinna. Cinna is slightly more flamboyant in the novel. While he comes from the capital, he still wears bright and amazing stuff, but he is toned down. Lenny Kravitz toned him down so much that he was in all black. I thought that took away a bit from Cinna. Amandla Stenberg captured the essence of Rue beautifully. I would have loved to have seen more of her. 
Talking to many people about these novels, they really became bothered by the fact that this was children fighting to the death while people stood by and watched as entertainment. After reading all of the novels and watching the movie twice, I feel that there is really more to it than a bloody battle. I felt that the first of these novels was really a commentary on the ideas of change. This is a terrible thing that many people in the world of Panem disagree with, but for 74 years nobody has risen against the capital because of what happened as a result of the last rebellion. They live in a state of fear. These novels showed that it only takes one person to stand up for what they believe is the right thing to do, one person to stand tall when others were so afraid. Katniss is the girl that had the guts to stand tall when everyone else was so afraid to. This is enough to empower those who are frightened. That is the true message of the Hunger Games. (I have always been a sucker for these kinds of stories) 
Watch. Enjoy. "Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor."
