【电影简介】

在北美洲这块废墟大陆上，有个新兴国家‘施惠国’。国内有十二个行政区，以及一座被行政区围绕的富饶都城。至高无上且专制残酷的都城，每年逼迫十二行政区交出12岁至18岁的少男少女各一名，投入一年一度的“饥饿游戏”，并以电视实况转播，藉此恐怖手段来维持威权统治以及国家秩序。

与寡母跟妹妹同住的十六岁少女凯妮丝，自愿代替在“抽签日”被抽中的妹妹参加猎杀游戏。她曾经走过死亡边缘，此刻已决心赴死。但残酷的生存游戏却激发凯妮丝强韧的求生意志，她成为了游戏的强力竞争者。在通往生存的苦战之路上，她面临重重艰难的抉择：生存、人性以及爱之间。

这些要参加游戏的贡品，并不是普通的青少年。他们从出生伊始，就接受了饥饿游戏的生存训练。来自12区的卡特尼丝就是其中一员。在一位获胜的贡品老师的训练中，她掌握了格斗的技巧和生存的必要技能。更重要的是，她有着敏锐的直觉。这些本能将让她在饥饿游戏中站得先机。但如果她要想从饥饿游戏中活下来，那还要经历一系列生与死、情感与罪恶的考量。

【音频文本】

Despite the popularity of the film "The Hunger Games" in North America, I had low expectations. Because when it comes to man-killing-man survival movies, there is nothing that Gary Ross could have done to outsmart Japanese director Kinji Fukasaku in his thriller "Battle Royale." And the truth is Ross didn't even try.

Instead, he went easy on the stage blood and made a PG-13 movie, with sequels yet to come. The arrangementseems fitting, because like "Twilight," "The Hunger Games" is the first of a series of young-adult novels that command a sizeable readership. And judging from its performance in North America and China, I'll say Ross is on the right track for a fortune.

Like all novel-based movies, "The Hunger Games" is challenged by the adaptation work. The novel's author Suzanne Collins offered her help by working with screenwriter Billy Ray, but I guess the challenge was justtoo huge. As a serial opener, the movie has to lay all the groundwork for the ensuing sequels, so the major activity of this film – the game – is postponed until after the movie is half way through. And since the movie targets a rather young audience, the battle scenes are mild and short. So the grown-ups who have been lured to the cinema for the action will most likely remain hungry for some real thrills, but they won't get any.

Another serious drawback is also caused by the adaptation. I haven't read the novel, but from watching themovie, I guess the author must have been generous and diligent in the portrayal of certain characters. Because some characters in the movie make an excellent impression upon first appearance, including the Lady Gaga-styled Effie Trinket, played by Elizabeth Banks. But as the story moves forward, they are simply cast away, giving the time to stories that aren't necessarily interesting.

The acting is decent. The novel and the movie adopt a first person narrative, so we've seen too much of the lead actress Jennifer Lawrence frowning and crying and thinking deep thoughts the audience can never expect to find out. The result is that other interesting characters are not given enough exposure. Honestly, I'd rather see more of the male lead Josh Hutcherson cracking jokes and putting up shows in a struggle to survive, and Woody Harrelson trying everything he can to get help from the Game Sponsors. But no, the movie has your eyes fixed on the pale face of Lawrence, who practically stays away from the fighting throughout the film.

Perhaps "The Hunger Games" is popular because of promotion and the novel's large readership. The serial opener in itself is obviously not satisfying. We'll wait for the sequels and see if things will improve. On a scale from one to 10, I give "The Hunger Games" a four.

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