The Hunger Games

As punishment for a past rebellion, the 12 districts of the nation of Panem are forced by the Capitol to select two tributes, one boy and one girl between 12 and 18, to fight to the death in the annual Hunger Games until there is only one survivor. In District 12, after her younger sister Primrose is chosen, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her place. She and fellow tribute Peeta Mellark are escorted to the Capitol by chaperone Effie Trinket and mentor Haymitch Abernathy, a past victor. Haymitch stresses the importance of gaining sponsors, as they can provide gifts during the Games. While training, Katniss observes the "Careers" (Marvel, Glimmer, Cato and Clove), volunteers from Districts 1 and 2 who have trained for the Games from an early age. During a televised interview with Caesar Flickerman, Peeta expresses his love for Katniss, which she initially sees as an attempt to attract sponsors; she later learns his admission is genuine. At the start of the Games, Katniss ignores Haymitch's advice and grabs some of the supplies placed around the Cornucopia, a structure at the starting point, and narrowly escapes death. Twelve tributes die in the initial melee, and only eleven, including the Careers, survive the first day. Katniss tries to stay away from the others, but Head Gamemaker Seneca Crane triggers a forest fire to drive her towards them. She runs into the Careers, with whom Peeta has seemingly allied, and flees up a tree. Peeta advises the Careers to wait her out. The next morning, Katniss notices Rue, District 11's young female tribute, hiding in an adjacent tree. Rue draws her attention to a nest of tracker jackers, genetically modified poisonous wasps. Katniss cuts the branch holding the nest; it falls on the sleeping Careers. Glimmer is killed, but the others get away. Katniss is disoriented from being stung herself; Peeta returns and tells her to flee. Rue helps Katniss recover, and the two become friends and allies. Katniss destroys the supplies the Careers have stockpiled by detonating the mines guarding them, while Rue provides a distraction. Katniss finds and frees Rue from a net, but Marvel impales Rue with a spear thrown at Katniss; Katniss kills him with an arrow. Katniss comforts Rue and, after she dies, adorns her body with flowers. Afterward, she makes a three-finger salute to the cameras. This triggers a riot in District 11. Snow warns Crane about the unrest caused by the Games. Haymitch persuades Crane to change the rules to allow two winners provided they are from the same district, suggesting that this will pacify the public. After the announcement, Katniss searches for and finds a gravely wounded Peeta. Another announcement promises that what each survivor needs the most will be provided at the Cornucopia the next morning. Despite Peeta's strong opposition, Katniss leaves to get medicine for him, but is ambushed and overpowered by Clove. When Clove gloats about Rue's death, Thresh, District 11's male tribute, appears and kills her. He spares Katniss once, for Rue's sake. The medicine fully heals Peeta. While hunting for food, Katniss hears a cannon go off, signaling a death. She races to Peeta and finds he has unknowingly collected deadly nightlock berries. They discover Foxface, District 5's female tribute, dead from eating the berries she assumed were edible from watching Peeta. Crane then unleashes genetically modified beasts. They kill Thresh and chase Katniss, Peeta and Cato onto the Cornucopia's roof. There the last survivors fight to a stalemate. Cato holds Peeta in a headlock and uses him as a human shield against Katniss's bow. Peeta directs Katniss to shoot Cato's hand, enabling Peeta to throw him to the beasts below, who tear at him until Katniss shoots him with an arrow. However, the rule change about two victors is suddenly revoked. Peeta urges Katniss to shoot him, but she convinces him to eat nightlock together. Just before they do, Crane hastily names them co-victors. Afterward, Haymitch warns Katniss that she has made enemies with her acts of defiance. Crane is then locked in a room with nightlock berries.