The Hunger Games. Rated M (mature themes and violence). 142 minutes. Directed by Gary Ross. Screenplay by Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins and Billy Ray. Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins.
Verdict: Exceptional story-telling in this cinematic game-changer.
It is impossible to recall a recent film as engrossing as this absorbing, complex, richly-layered piece of cinematic story-telling. Defining, precisely, what it is about The Hunger Games that makes it so entirely watchable, will be the subject of the many conversations about its many extraordinary qualities that are guaranteed to result from the first viewing. What is unarguable, however, is the extent to which its deeply-affecting and profound cultural impact is in the process of challenging the rules of cinematic engagement around the world.
