Well, I saw the Hunger Games tonight with my husband and two girls, aged 13 and 15. This is already the second time the oldest one has seen it (it only came out yesterday). I read the book first, and if you haven't read it yet, WAIT until after you've seen the movie. It will complement it better (and spare you some of the movie's tension if you're a sensitive type).
The premise of the movie is horrible really. It's futuristic North America (now "Panem" divided into twelve districts, governed by the "Capitol." Each year there is a lottery system where one girl and one boy aged 12-18 from each district is chosen to be a representative, or "Tribute" in The Hunger Games.
"Part entertainment, part brutal intimidation of the subjugated districts, the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants are forced to eliminate their competitors, literally, with all citizens required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss' young sister, Prim, is selected as the mining district's female representative, Katniss volunteers to take her place. She and her male counterpart Peeta, will be pitted against bigger, stronger representatives who have trained for this their whole lives." (IMDB)
It reminded me a little of the short story written by Shirley Jackson called "The Lottery" and of the short story written by Stephen King called "The Long Walk." Unlike the second mentioned though, I didn't form any emotional ties to many of the participants in The Hunger Games. The audience is kept at a safe distance but of course you're pulling for Katniss to come home to her younger sister. She is deftly played by Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone," "X-Men: First Class"). Her character is strong but without the "kick-butt" attitude. She is strong because she has had to be for her fatherless family. But she makes mistakes along the way and doesn't come out unscathed.
I liked the acting, the directing, the costumes, the cinematography but I didn't like the story line. It's disturbing. It's violent. It's manipulative. I don't like the idea that 12 year-olds are pitted against 18 year-olds who have been brought up to win these Games. And I don't like the idea that the mothers of these 12 year-olds are forced to watch. It can do one's head in.
Two Tributes touch on the subject of having the fear of losing themselves or becoming someone they're not for the sake of the games and for the entertainment value. They know they are pawns that have to play the game in order to try and survive for others. A bit like "reality" television these days. We know there has to be editing magic and manipulation going on to pull in the ratings. In the movie, there has to be manipulation by behind-the-scenes choreographers in order to not bore the Capitol viewers (kind of like the Truman Show) when too much time has lapsed between killings. And some of the Tributes are conscious about that. But when is enough really enough? When does one stand up to change the rules? How far is one willing to lose oneself to survive? And how much are people getting desensitised for the sake of entertainment?
The book, written in first person, gives the reader much more depth into what Katniss is feeling and thinking, what her take on the Games is, and what her motive for doing things is. But Jennifer Lawrence does a pretty good job at showing the audience what she's on about.
The movie is rated M for violence and subject theme. Though there is not lots of blood and gore, there is quick camera action of brutality. I don't recommend it for young viewers (it made my 13 year old quite squirmy) and in fact, when someone asked me tonight if I recommended it, I had to pause and think. I'm not sure. The movie is made well and will definitely draw in the teens. It's much meatier than Twilight (and better acted). But I value life.
This is not a feel-good movie with a victorious, ball-goes-in-the-hoop in the last second and underdog team wins the game kind of ending. This is a story about a society whose value has been taken away and replaced with a sadistic, controlling, big-brother governing system. This is the first installment of a trilogy, so I'm hoping there will be some light at the end of this very long tunnel.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Well, I haven't seen the movie, although I'm sure I will when it comes out on cable.
I really liken this series to Twilight in this way:
- It's a fantasy novel: you know none of this will come true, however IF this were true the events that take place could conceivably occur if the situation was exactly as the novel described.
- You can connect to the characters in the teenage-y way that I used to love when I read these sorts of books as a teenager
- The primary female character seems to be almost unchanged by extreme circumstances where, if they were to happen to a "normal" person of our time, would leave them screaming against white padded walls while locked in a straight jacket. Although I must give HG the credit where at least Kat had the appearance (in the novel) of being affected (although this was down the track in book 2 or 3), this lasted for a very minimal period of time only.
I read the 3-book series over several weekends, and while book 1, 2, and the first half of book 3 had me intrigued, the ending of the series was highly disappointing. I was, possibly, the most disappointed with the ending as I have ever been after reading a book.
For those who have not read book 2 or 3, stop here.
I felt like the ending screamed 'see? there's no point! Nothing changed! She made NO difference. Her pain, her bravery, her confusion, her lost innocence, all, it seems, for nothing. And why? Because Prim died in the end. Kat went into the games to protect her sister, and in the end she was unable to anyway. Things may as well have stayed the same for all the good it did. Granted the author ended the 'overall' feeling as positive - look! no more hunger games! But the ending with Kat was a let down.
While I understand that the author didn't hide anything in the books - like you said Janine, nobody came through unscathed - so why should I expect the happy ending? Perhaps because I felt there wasn't a reason for Prim being killed at the end of the series. It was pointless. Meaningless. While I don't need happy endings and sunshine at the end of all my stories, I don't appreciate meaninglessness.
But - I must remember that it's a fantasy novel. And in keeping that in mind, thank goodness. I wasn't a fan overall. But I'll see the movie when it comes out on cable.
I had popcorn last night and tonight - and out where I'm living we don't have popcorn salt like they do in the States. However I have a really nice mortar and pestle, and I ground some sea salt into the consistency of popcorn salt, so it was a white, powdery substance. It worked so well - it was nice having a consistent layer of salt over all of my popcorn pieces, rather than just salt on a few pieces here and there :)
Post a Comment