The Hunger Games

I went to see The Hunger Games, not because I read the books and loved them (I haven't read the books), but instead because everyone is going to see the film this weekend and it has been advertized everywhere.
The plot of the whole thing is pretty grim, with teenagers fighting to the death just because the entire world is at peace now, after a dreadful war. And the games are televised, so everyone can watch them, so the contestants not only have to watch out for their competitors, but also are followed around by cameras, so their own districts can watch everything occurring. The whole thing is very similar to 1984, the book (which I read) and film.
The main character in the film is Katniss Everdeen, played quite well by Jennifer Lawrence. She is only a teenager, but has the support of her whole family on her thin, young shoulders. Her father died, probably in some kind of coal mining accident. Her mother (Paula Malcomson) doesn't seem to be much help, leaving it up to Katniss to support the family, and she does so by hunting with her trusty bow and arrow. Helping her is her good friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth). The district that they live in, District 12 is horribly poor, mostly coal miners. That is shown perfectly by Katniss delighting in a white roll, given to her by Gale.
Then come the hunger games, where all the children between ages of twelve and eighteen names' are thrown into a bowl and one boy and one girl are selected at random, though, we learn later, if more food is given to one person, the number of times that name is entered increases. Though Katniss's name is not picked, instead, her younger sister's name (Primrose) is, and she is rightly terrified at the prospect that awaits her. Katniss volunteers to fight in her sister's place. The boy chosen is the baker's son, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), who as the viewer later learns has harbored feelings for Katniss.
They begin their journey to train for the hunger games, accompanying them are Haymitch, a previous winner but now a lousy alcoholic, though he is still capable of kindness and full of plenty of good advice for the young competitors. Effie Trinket (an unrecognizable Elizabeth Banks), in charge of escorting Peeta and Katniss wherever they are needed. Both disappear into their roles, though they have played the roles before.
After some training, the games begin, and it is everyman (or woman) for themselves. They have already survived interviews on national television (where Peeta revealed his feelings about Katniss) and nasty training.
The games are brutal, as twenty-four enter, but only one can survive. Alliances are formed, but are also broken. Peeta betrays Katniss by forming an alliance with the savage members from Districts 1 and 2, which are the richest districts and have training schools for their children, making into little savages and bloodthirsty.
Katniss faces many challenges, including burning forests and genetically altered wasps, so now they are especially dangerous, and can even cause death. This is how one of the other contestants dies. Some Katniss forms her own alliance, with the young Rue from District 11, who is the same age as her younger sister. When Rue dies by another's arrow, Katniss has her best scene, devastated over the death of her new friend.
Then the rules change, there can be two champions if they come from the same district. Upon hearing this, Katniss sets out to find Peeta, which she does, only to find him injured. She helps him, and lays him down in a cave. After nearly dying by leaving Peeta to obtain some much needed medicine for Peeta, they share a kiss, a real one this time, not just a peck which happened before Katniss began her terrifying journey to save Peeta. Then, after eating some poisonous berries, there are only three contestants left, and a huge beast comes up to destroy the final three, Katniss, Peeta and the nasty Cato.
The final battle is a  nasty one, but also gritty and realistic. In the end, Cato dies, though he nearly kills Peeta in the process, and you even feel for him before his death, because this is the only thing he has ever known. But then the rules change again, once again there can only be one victor. Peeta tells Katniss to shoot him, but she cannot, so they both decide to eat the poisonous berries at the same time so there will no winner. Fortunately, the rules change again, allowing both of them to win, which happens. They are victorious, and are greeted like heroes upon returning to their home district.
The film is terribly grim, death is commonplace for these young people, and though they love, they also have no sympathy for their enemies, as Katniss demonstrates wonderfully. However, the performances are great, though really only Katniss has a big role, but everyone else does great in their smaller ones, including a good conflicted one from Hutcherson.
My only problem with the film, though other critics have mentioned others, is that is whole hunger games are rigged. The higher ups, including Seneca and President Snow (Wes Bentley and Donald Sutherland) pull the strings, creating the fire that nearly kills Katniss and bringing the beast up from the ground to end the games as quickly as possible, and to me, that just seemed like cheating, as though the entire world was against the young competitors. 
The film is also wonderful to look at. District 12 is poor and run-down while the hotel where Katniss and Peeta enjoy some luxury before fighting to the death. The forest is wonderful, and every little detail is taken care of, down to the bruises and cuts on the actors' bodies. I would imagine that both art direction at the very least will be Oscar-nominated. All-in-all, it was a well-done film, though I can't say it was all that enjoyable, but that fault lies in the subject matter. Still, I will gladly watch the film again, especially since it is powerful. Grade: A-