If you’ve enjoyed his well-known works like “Pleasantville’’ and “Seabiscuit’’, you’ll not be disappointed with Gary Ross’s next master piece.

Ross keeps things real in this highly anticipated adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel “The Hunger Games”, which is set in the alternative world of Panem.

The capital requires that two youth representatives, from the surrounding 12 districts, be chosen to participate in the annual Hunger Games tournament, where youths pit against each other in a deadly battle.

The movie explores the dark side of the media, which fuels violence and death all in the name of entertainment. In fact the show’s underlying themes mirror the brutal truth of today’s society, where materialism and self-gratification breed a culture of indifference and ignorance.

Jennifer Lawrence delivers an engaging performance as the tragic heroine Katniss Everdeen, who struggles under the manipulation of the media and finds herself forced to feed the audience’s thirst for drama, violence and blood in a bid to survive.

Although fans of the book would be disappointed with cuts from the novel’s content, Ross does a good job translating page to screen.

Accompanied by a compelling narrative and solid performances from the cast, his cinematography captures the element of hostility and danger through a shaky ‘first-person’ lens and pulse-surging fight scenes.

The Hunger Games definitely had me craving for the next installment.

Rating: 4.5/5