The Hunger Games was a monumental movie for a number of reasons; firstly, it was the first in a succession of teen-driven, dystopian science-fiction films that took the genre from the young adult section of the local library to the international big screen; secondly, it catapulted a then-unknown Jennifer Lawrence into the stratosphere, and it was also one of the first films of its kind to have a female protagonist who was just as physically strong and capable as the boys. It also, ironically, encouraged teens to read again, re-igniting interest in Suzanne Collins' original Hunger Games Series from which the movie was adapted.
The film is set in the fictional nation of Panem, in a post-apocalyptic future. The nation is divided into twelve districts, and every year, one girl and one boy from each district are selected as tributes, and have to compete in The Hunger Games. This is a fight to the death, and it is televised too, so that citizens of Panem can bay for the blood of the contestants from their own homes without having to go to the nation's capital to watch in person.
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) takes her younger sister's place as the tribute from their region, and it his her battle, along with her male counterpart, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) that the story both focuses on and revolves around.
Suzanne Collins' original book was published in 2008 and by 2009 she had already sold the movie rights to Lions Gate Entertainment. She was involved in the development of the screenplay, working closely with screen writers Billy Ray and Gary Ross. Three years later, the completed film was released worldwide in both regular movie theaters and in IMAX as well. In all venues, it began to smash records. It set a new high for opening day box office sales at $67.3 million, and for opening weekend for a film that was not a sequel.
As well as receiving an overwhelmingly positive reception from the public, the film also received predominantly positive reviews. However, some critics pointed out that the story was rather similar to other post-apocalyptic adventures, particularly Shirley Jackson's The Lottery. Collins defended her corner by explaining that her inspirations had Roman gladiatorial games and also some of the Roman myths and legends that had captivated her as a child.
