The Hunger Games (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

The Review at a Glance: (max score: 5 )

Film:

Extras:

Audio/Video total rating:

( Max score: 100 )
91





Studio and Year: Lionsgate - 2012
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 142 minutes
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC (MPEG-4)
Video Aspect: 2.40:1
Resolution: 1080p/24


Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Stereo
Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Toby Jones
Directed by: Gary Ross
Music by: James Newton Howard
Written by: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, Billy Ray
Region Code: A

Blu-ray Disc release Date: August 18, 2012

Film Synopsis:

The Hunger Games is the first in a trilogy of books published by Scholastic that has already become a literary phenomenon with over 36.5 million copies in circulation. Set in the future, one male and one female from each of the twelve districts of the nation is forced to participate in the annual competition called The Hunger Games, which is broadcast live throughout the country for the entertainment of the Capitol’s wealthy residents. Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) volunteers in her younger sister’s place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she’s pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.



My Take:

A buddy of mine called me looking to go to the movies the weekend The Hunger Games opened. I honestly knew very little about it other than hearing some buzz and catching glimpses of the trailer. After checking the listings there wasn’t much playing that I was interested in so I asked my kids about The Hunger Games. They explandained that it was based on a popular book series and was supposed to be decent so we opted to check it out. I was surprised at the ranges in age in the packed theater we went to. There were people that there as old as over 60 and as young as under 5.

Based on the New York Times best-selling novel from writer Suzanne Collins, the film turned out to be better than expected and revolves around 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem, where the countries of North America once existed. The Capitol, a highly advanced metropolis, holds hegemony over the rest of the nation. The Hunger Games are an annual event in which one boy and one girl aged 12 to 18 from each of the twelve districts surrounding the Capitol are selected by lottery to compete in a televised battle to the death until only one person remains. This is purported by the governing body to be a form of tribute in remembrance of the cost of freedom. In reality it is more of a punishment wrapped in a repressive societal sock meant to slap the faces of those that might seek to rise up again.

From a conceptual standpoint “The Hunger Games” doesn’t break new ground as we have seen this premise in films before. This isn’t necessarily a problem provided that the narrative supports the formulaic base. Luckily there is excellent foundation to be found in the story’s characters specifically the primary heroine Katniss Everdeen. She is well drawn and the type of character that a series like this can be built around. Katniss comes from the 12th District and has known tough times which have made her weary of trusting people. Self-reliance has kept her sharp and capable of handling herself but her interaction with others (outside of those closest to her) leaves much to be desired. Once she finds herself thrust into the limelight and into situations where charisma can be just as important as dauntlessness Katniss adapts quickly in pursuit of what initially starts out as a singular goal but by the end will become so much more.

I liked The Hunger Games. There is enough depth to the plot to keep it interesting and the story nicely balances elements of drama, action, light romance and sci-fi/adventure. As seen primarily from Katniss’ perspective I found the character driven nature of her personal journey of discovery, humanity, and compassion to be the film’s most defining and ultimately rewarding aspect. The integration of the remaining plot points, its respective characters and what that will ultimately mean going forward is done well. The film’s screenplay, production elements and direction are solid. Gary Ross (Big, Pleasantville, Seabisquit and Dave) serves as co-writer/director and knows how to connect the audience via theme and emotion.

As already stated I haven’t read the books but Jennifer Lawrence appears to be a good choice for this role. She’s edgy with a quietly cool demeanor that is accentuated by an understated allure that favors the character. I am a Josh Hutcherson fan and have been since seeing him in films like Little Manhattan, Zathura and Bridge to Teribithia. His performance as Peeta opposite of Lawrence is excellent. The remaining cast is chock full of familiar faces (Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, and Elizabeth Banks) that compliments the proceedings.

The Hunger Games achieved a remarkable four-week run as the #1 film at the North American theatrical box office where it has grossed nearly a half billion dollars ranking it as the 12th highest-grossing film of all time. It isn’t a cinematic gem but it’s a well executed and entertaining film that left me eager to see what lies in store for the installment.


Parental Guide:

The rating is for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images – all involving teens.




AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100 / EXCELLENT = 83-91 / GOOD = 74-82 / AVERAGE = 65-73 / BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**


Audio: 92

(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

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Video: 90

(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)

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The Hunger Games comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lionsgate Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 35 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4.7 Mbps.

The Hunger Games looks great on Blu-ray and features excellent high definition video quality that exhibits high level detail, defining sharpness and exquisite definition that brings out lifelike textures captured by the camera’s lens. Dimensional perspective has a near infinite appeal that can be visually stimulating. Close ups are noticeably refined and revealing of the subtlest details within facial features and objects within the frame. Mid level camera pans are equally enriching and offer excellent depth and dimension. Colors are appreciably delineated with natural rendering and punchy primaries that stand out among the remaining spectrum of secondary hues. Fleshtones are rendered with vivid tonality and discerning complexional description. Contrast is boldly applied without overstatement as it enlivens colors and empowers whites without washing away detail. Blacks are rich, gradationally strong and dynamic which makes them pop nicely during sequences containing a mix of light and dark elements. Detail in uneven light and darkened environments reveal visible shapes and structure in backgrounds. This is a pristine encoding that looks terrific on my big screen.

The DTS-HD Master Audio surround mix is equally impressive and sounds superb. This soundtrack runs the gamut between subtle passages of spoken dialogue and soft music to thunderous, dynamically charged sequences that deliver opulent surround sound. Dialogue rendering is terrific as it holds sway over the front soundstage. Detail is first rate which brings out the finely articulated nuance of background elements within the mix. Dynamics can be demonstrative as the active elements within the surround mix resound with superior authority and powerful deep bass transients. James Newton Howard’s music score is carefully integrated into the sound design and is wonderfully detailed, acoustically transparent and three dimensional. Surround use is prevalent and achieves a high level of envelopment that is appreciably involving. From the gentle sounds of blowing wind or reverberant echoes to the familiar and enveloping effects of raging fire, exploding mines or hurtled weapons, sounds are seamlessly blended to create a stable and detail rich sound field. This is an impressive audio/video presentation that essentially mirrored its theatrical one and makes for a great home theater experience.


Bonus Features:

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  Disc 1:

  
  
• Feature film
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  Disc 2: (Blu-ray) Bonus features

  
  
• (HD) The world is watching: The making of The Hunger Games (8 segments)
• 1. Countdown – 11 minutes
     
  2. Casting – 20 minutes
     
  3. Design – 14 minutes
     
  4. Arena ready – 13 minutes
     
  5. On location in Panem – 15 minutes
     
  6. Effects – 9 minutes
     
  7. Post production – 22 minutes
     
  8. May the odds be ever in your favor – 14 minutes
• (HD) Featurettes (6 segments)
• 1. Game maker: Suzanne Collins & The Hungers Games phenomenon – 14 minutes
     
  2. Letters from the rose garden – 9 minutes
     
  3. Controlling the games – 5 minutes
     
  4. A conversation with Gary Ross & film critic Elvis Mitchell – 14 minutes
     
  5. Preparing for the games: A director’s process – 3 minutes
     
  6. Propaganda film – 1 minute faux promo
• (HD) Marketing gallery – Trailers, posters, production photos
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• Digital Copy
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• Ultraviolet Digital Copy

Final Thoughts:

Based on the New York Times best-selling novel from writer Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games is a formulaic, well executed multi-genre film that preaches a little but stays on point via a rewarding narrative, apt direction and solid casting. It makes its debut on Blu-ray in superb fashion and features top notch audio/video quality along with a gratifying assortment of bonus material that look behind the scenes at the making of the film while providing insights from the cast and crew. I found The Hunger Games to be an enjoyable film experience and look forward to the next installment in the series. If you’re a fan this Blu-ray offering from Lionsgate Home Entertainment is highly recommended. For those that might be on the fence give it a rent prior to purchase.












Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews





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Greetings,



Thanks for catching that Peter although I am pretty sure that there were a few pregnant mother's among the group so it's very possible.

Regards,

Greetings,

Actually I include the aspect ratio info in every review. It is listed in the disc info located below the jacket pic at the top of the review. As for the subtitles with respect to CIH setups I include that when it is applicable (it can be found below my comments on the audio/video).


Regards,

Greetings,

ShannonT, that was my take from watching the film (twice now).


Regards,