Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is a 16-year-old citizen of the 12th District of Panem. Each year, the government of Panem conducts an event dubbed "The Hunger Games." Two teenagers called "tributes," one male and one female, are selected from each of the twelve districts to participate in The Hunger Games. There are twenty-four tributes in all, and only one can return from the arena alive. In an act of bravery and sacrifice, Katniss volunteers herself as a tribute to spare her sister Primrose, whose name was drawn as the female tribute for District 12. Katniss and the male tribute from District 12, Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), are ripped from their homes and families and rushed to the Capitol, a place where life is luxurious and children from their country murdering one another serves as a popular source of entertainment. In order to survive The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta will have to win the affections of the people of the Capitol so that perhaps the odds may be in their favor.

While The Hunger Games books, written by Suzanne Collins, are placed in the genre of Teen Fantasy, the subject matter of this movie is hardly adolescent. The country of Panem is a dark place filled with oppressed people ruled by an unforgiving monarchy. The phrases "Happy Hunger Games" and "May the odds be ever in your favor" are repeated to the point of absurdity by a representative from the Capitol to District 12, Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), and Panem President Snow (Donald Sutherland), which displays their twisted view of this event. It is as if they are saying "Happy execution" and "Good luck trying not to die." A haunting scene in the film occurs just after Katniss and Peeta have said goodbye to their families and get in car with Effie who is jabbering about how splendid the two of them will be treated in the Capitol, as if she is just ignoring the fact that in a matter of weeks both of these children will likely be dead.

The popularity of the Hunger Games amongst the people of the Capitol is comparable to the excitement for the Super Bowl in the U.S. today. The tributes from each district are paraded through the Capitol and individually interviewed by the flamboyant and animated Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). This, as well as the games themselves, are televised for all the citizens of Panem to view. A heartbreaking reality is that the people of each District are watching to see if one of their children will come home while the people of the Capitol watch for entertainment, since children of the Capitol do not participate in the games. Another great and subtle scene features Katniss and Peeta's mentor, Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), in a common area where he sees a father give his son a plastic sword who proceeds to "stab" his little sister. This image of mocking what Katniss and the other tributes are going through is too much for Haymitch to bear, knowing that these privileged children of the Capitol will never have to worry about being selected for the games.

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