The highly anticipated movie “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1,” based on the bestselling novel by Suzanne Collins, made an epic debut into movie theaters on Nov. 21.

On opening day, the movie grossed $55 million, and over the course of opening weekend the movie made a total of $123 million.

I highly recommend this movie to kids and adults alike.

The movie tells the continuing story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in this dystopian world centered on the Hunger Games. These games serve as a punishment for the districts of Panem for their rebellion, and so every year each district must offer up two tributes: one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18.

In the games, these tributes must battle and kill each other to reach their ultimate goal — to be crowned the victor, the sole survivor.

In the first movie, “The Hunger Games,” Katniss’ sister (Willow Shields) was reaped as a tribute from District 12. Katniss volunteered for her sister because she was only 12 and would have surely been killed in the games.

Katniss enters into the games alongside her fellow tribute from District 12, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). They fall in love at the end when they are the only two left.

But once they threaten to commit suicide together, the Capitol crowns them both victors.

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is about the Quarter Quell games, which take place every 25 years. For this special occasion the rules are altered and the tributes are reaped from each district’s surviving victors.

Katniss and Peeta are reaped again, and once more they enter the Games.

At the end of the Games, Katniss dismantles the arena and a rebel hovercraft from District 13 rescues her from the debris. They take her, and fellow tribute and victor Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin), away from certain death at the hands of the Capitol.

Now in the third installation, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1,” Katniss starts off living in District 13 with her family.

She is recovering from the traumatic events of the most recent games, but the President of 13, Alma Coin (Julianne Moore), wants her to become the Mockingjay, or the face of the rebellion.

After much persuasion, Katniss agrees to play the part after negotiating some conditions.

With her best friend, Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth), she films propaganda, trying to unite the districts in their fight against the Capitol.

With a top-notch cast, including names like Donald Sutherland, Jennifer Lawrence, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, the characters come to life in a believable way.

The filming is also superb, showing you the world through Katniss’ eyes without having a dizzying effect. The actors portray their characters in an emotional and deep way so that you feel the way they do.

The movie also follows the book very well.

There are some instances where whole scenes are taken directly from the book, with direct quotes and even facial expressions as described by Collins.

However, like any Hollywood adaptation, it does deviate from the book.

For instance, three characters from the book, Fulvia, Flavius, and Octavius, are not included in the movie.

In their place, the director (Francis Lawrence) or screenwriter (Peter Craig) decided to substitute in Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), a character whom we already fell in love with in the first two movies. I welcomed this change because those other characters never made much sense to me in the books.

However, I thought I would give all lovers of the book fair warning, that while it may be strikingly similar, there are differences from the book.

The actors and director did a wonderful job bringing this story to life.