The Hunger Games Directed by: Gary Ross Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: March 23, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 8/10
Thoughts by TSR: I had not yet read Suzanne Collins’ novels when I first wrote about the initial, inscrutable teaser for The Hunger Games. Now that I’ve read the entire series I find myself optimistic that the films will turn out well. It helps that a lot of the casting feels spot-on – Woody Harrelson as Haymitch could not be more perfect – but for some reason I'm having trouble with Jennifer Lawrence as our heroine, Katniss Everdeen. I’m simply unable to make her fit with my mental image. Luckily, Lawrence is a great actress, so I’m sure she’ll give a strong performance that will make this a non-issue.
One thing I really like about this is how it shows very little from inside the arena. It would be easy to go overboard and show some serious action, but I appreciate that the marketing is exhibiting restraint. There are brief glimpses, such as the nice shot of Katniss saluting the cameras, but the majority of the footage is from events that occur before the titular Games.
As an added bonus, the footage looks very good. I really like the moments they chose to highlight, especially Cinna (Lenny Kravitz in another bit of good casting) giving Katniss the Mockingjay pin. While not quite as effective as previous trailers ending with the countdown to Katniss entering the arena, it’s still a strong final note to hit.
I was skeptical for a long time, but now I’m feeling quite good about this film’s potential. Maybe the odds really are ever in its favor.