The Hunger Games Movie Review by Dean Richards

The success of this mega-hit “something for everyone” book are its many layers and exciting action.

A love story and a social and political statement, the movie captures most of it in this world of the future where the government requires each district of the country to offer up two teenagers for a televised, gladiator-like fight to the death.

Jennifer Lawrence shines as a ‘Joan of Arc’ warrior, but one with a heart of gold and sense of decency and fairness lacking in this self-centered society.

It’s an effective action film about death and survival with most of the blood and gore implied and not seen to score that PG-13 rating. It has enough love story for the pre-teens, but not so much to make grown-ups get nauseous.

For them, there’s the story of what society could become when government is out of control and children are slaughtered for the amusement of the wealthy in this reality show world of voyeurism and excess.

It’s a well told, layered story with great performances from these colorful characters. It’s only fault is at 2 hours and 22 minutes, the movie is long sometimes dragged down trying to include too many details from the book.

It`s a solid start to this upcoming trilogy though.