Fans of Suzanne Collins’ book series came out in record numbers to see the trilogy’s first adaptation, “The Hunger Games,” hit the big screen last weekend. Box office domination, however, doesn’t always speak to the quality of the product. Just consider the painful experience of watching even five minutes from “The Twilight Saga.”

“The Hunger Games” is different. It’s the box office smash worth the price of admission, even for those unfamiliar with the series.

The story takes place in a fascinating post-apocalyptic world where a deadly competition separates the rich from the poor. Twenty-four kids go in, only one comes out. Survival requires pandering to a fickle television audience, and, oh yeah, killing fellow adolescents before they kill you.

This story has been done before, but it’s been a while since we’ve seen it done with such focus on character. Director Gary Ross (“Pleasantville”) does an exceptional job not only in visualizing Collins’ dense mythology but also introducing a captivating heroine in Katniss Everdeen, a bow-and-arrow-wielding warrior who could snap poor Bella Swan’s neck with her index finger. (more…)