Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES II & IV • April 4, 2012 ‘The Hunger Games’ will likely be profitable franchise by Dennis Seuling In “The Hunger Games,” director Gary Ross presents a future time after civil war has taken a great toll in North America. When order is finally brought to 12 rebellious regions, the decadent central government of Panem forces each region to pay tribute in the form of two human beings, one male, one female, between the ages of 12 and 18. These 24 individuals, chosen by lottery in a “reaping” ceremony, will be trained and coached until they are released into the forest, where they will hunt and kill each other. The last one standing will be declared the winner. The yearly event is broadcast on TV as the ultimate reality show. When her young sister is selected by lottery as the current year’s entrant from her district, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) comes forward, volunteering to take her place. This is acceptable according to the rules, though a volunteer never has come forward before. She and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), the boy chosen from their district, make their way to the Capitol to prepare for the games. Katniss has fed herself and her family by hunting with a bow and arrow, and she has become a proficient archer. However, she is not prepared for the public scrutiny of being a finalist in the Hunger Games. Her coach, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks, left) escorts tribute Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) to the capital for training and media interviews in ‘The Hunger Games.’ explains the importance of making friends in order to attract sponsors, and she receives a makeover for her time in the spotlight. She becomes a popular favorite when interviewed by the ever-smiling David Letterman of future TV, Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). With chaperone/ handler Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) to guide her, she meets the other tributes and undergoes rigorous gladiatorial-style training. As a look at a frightening world in which the struggle for human survival has become entertainment for the masses, “The Hunger Games” is reminiscent of the Roman epics in which men fought to the death in the arena. Making the participants so young gives the movie a sad underlying tone and highlights the devaluation of human life by a corrupt central government that has made this savage “game” an annual event that is both dreaded and anticipated by the throngs. Lawrence is front and center for the entire film. For the most part, viewers witness events through her eyes, with only a few cutaways to show how the games are run and the tributes manipulated like marionettes by technicians in a massive, NASA-like control room. She demonstrates both strength and vulnerability, a tough combination to convey successfully. Her Katniss is not fearless, but she is able to use her intelligence and physical skills to outthink and outmaneuver the other tributes. As a female role model, she is enviable because she has saved her younger sibling from almost certain death in the games, is more than a match for the male tributes, and never gives up, even when severely injured. She is convincing as a tomboyish young woman who is taken aback when she learns that someone thinks of her romantically. Visually, “The Hunger Games” is beautifully detailed, from the bizarre hairdos, costumes, and makeup of the Capitol’s residents to the splendid architecture that will remind viewers of the wonders of Oz after Dorothy and her friends are finally admitted. Katniss’ district, by contrast, consists of an assortment of shacks and dirt roads that are more 1930s Dust Bowl Midwest than sumptuous futuristic landscape. The young-adult novel by Suzanne Collins on which the movie is based is far more detailed about the violence of the games. The movie’s violence is toned down considerably. The camera never lingers over the various kills depicted, and almost no blood is shown. Reducing the more graphic scenes of the book to mere glimpses was a conscious attempt to keep the picture well within the boundaries of PG-13 and assure that teen fans could get into the theater. “The Hunger Games” is the first film in what will undoubtedly be a highly profitable franchise. Collins wrote two other books in the series, and plans are in place to divide the last book into two films. With an opening weekend that drew $155 million -- the third largest all-time opening and the best opening for a non-sequel -- the movie is on track to become one of the biggest movie hits of all time.