Hunger for More of "The Hunger Games"

"Happy Hunger Games, and may the odds be ever in your favor" is a famous quote from a new uprising series of films based on a teen novel, and this film is called The Hunger Games based on the book of the same name by author Suzanne Collins. The story follows a teenage girl named Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who lives in District 12, part of the 12 districts that make up a struggling and post-apocalyptic nation known as Panem. In Panem there is a televised competition called "The Hunger Games" in which a boy and a girl from each District from the ages of 12 to 18 is required to fight to the death until the last one standing and is claimed the victor. Katniss offers herself as tribute in place of her younger sister and she is sent to the Capitol to compete in the Hunger Games along with Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) a boy from her District. She must train with her mentor Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson) in order to know how to fight, survive, as well as gain sponsors in order for her to win the deadly competition. Once that is done she is on her own to survive and fight the other 23 competitors in order to be the victor. The Hunger Games is probably the first time I have ever been interested in something teen novel related. Instead of playing to the average teenage fantasy, being chock filled with cheesy drama, containing incredibly bland characters, and having an incredibly cliched and laughable story, The Hunger Games is actually INTERESTING. The settings are interesting, the characters are interesting, the delivery of both characters and setting is interesting, and most importantly the story is interesting. Not only does the film have an engaging story and two main characters that do well in incredibly standing out, but it probably is also a satirical yet haunting and cautionary tale in the likes of 1984 and Brave New World, in what happens when too much of the preferred and most watched of entertainment can possibly lead us into wanting next. Let us see why the odds are in the favor of The Hunger Games. 



I think it is only right that I talk about the two main characters of the film, Katniss and Peeta. Katniss' character is not only a talented archer whose hunting skills is one that is not to be challenged with, but she also has a kind, caring, and humane personality the completely sets off the possible talents she has a successful killer. Instead of choosing to fight and kill her competitors she uses her wit and knowledge of survival to survive them instead and prefers to run away from an opportunity to murder someone as she is not a killer. This makes her interesting because despite her hunting skills, she is able to actually make new friends that she starts to care about. And if anything were ever to happen to one of her friends you do not know if she would snap and would go out seeking for revenge, turn the other cheek, or just keep going on with the competition while at the same trying to repress the memories of her lost friends. The story is paced so good that the many events that Katniss experiences makes her character a lot deeper as the story progresses. She constantly makes decisions that in turn all take effect in the future as her story arc comes in a full circle by the end of the film. Peeta is sort of a tragic outcast. I admit I never read the book but despite being a good character, I do not know if I could sympathize with him enough with the amount of "abuse", he's gotten. I mean his mom is the baker of District 12 and he let a bunch of bread we was suppose to watch burn and has to feed them to the pigs. There's a moment when his mom gives him a slap in the head for it, but for some reason I don't blame her. I mean you are living in this post-apocalyptic world where food is scarce and everyone is hungry and he let the bread burn without any explanation of why. If there was a story behind that and an explanation of why he let the bread burn then I would have sympathized more with him. But in case I missed it, there was no explanation therefore I am on the mother's side at this point. But despite that small personal view, Peeta is still sympathetic in a lot more moments in the film. He his probably one the few amount of male characters ever to have his trait of not being much macho and more of a peacemaker more tolerable. He overall has a likeable personality and he is very honest and trustworthy. He is sort of the black sheep that sticks out of the harshness that surrounds this setting and is probably a representation of one of the few goodness of humanity that is left in this entire world. What's most intriguing is the relationship between Katniss and Peeta. What they have in common is something that is hard to disagree with, which is not only is winning The Hunger Games one of their goals but to prove the audience and The Capitol that wha they are doing is inhumane and must come to an end. These characters are interesting and their motive is something worth fighting for, what's not to like?



I what I really enjoy to what the film does it how it portrays each of its settings. I love how the settings of the different Districts of Panem are portrayed very dark and miserable. Though this setting has been seen before in other films, it still has an interesting look because the time the film takes place, in the near present or future, So it really is interesting to see in this kind of view. And the stuff with how this world works and how the people survive in it is well fleshed out. I really love how the film depicts the Capitol, this sort of glamorous, prosperous, wealthy, yet still ugly, surreal, unwelcoming, and mean world. I love the way they portray the materialistic, consumerist, bias, selfish, and vain people in the Capitol. I love how no matter how much they are enjoying whatever they are doing, they have absolutely no idea how monstrous their activities really seem or how painful it can affect others. A good example is the character of Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) who looks so glamorous and ugly at the same time. Plus her actions by being responsible for picking out the tributes for The Hunger Games, seems to be an enjoyable hobby for her as she giggles, smiles, and stays merry all throughout the process. While obviously the citizens of the Districts do not see it at all as joyous and more like attending their own children's funeral. I especially love how the children like Katniss and Peeta have to dress in glamorous, stylish, bombastic, yet ridiculous outfits that play and show off to the crowd just to get the audience to like them. Another example is at the Capitol there is scene I believe where a father gives his little boy a REAL sword or weapon of some sort to play with as he seen gleefully chasing his sister and playing around with his new weapon. Scenes like that add to the surprisingly well done unpleasantness of this world that really makes you feel uncomfortable yet refreshing to see something like this in a film, especially one targeted for teens. Just how I love risk taking and audience challenging material in children's films, as long as it is done well, I do like that this film actually challenges the teenage audience by presenting them with this surreal and unwelcoming worlds. 



What I think what a lot of people, especially those going in to this series for the first time such as myself, liked the most is the off on the edge for your seat and suspense of the actual Hunger Games part of the film. The entire second and third act is a roller coaster of gasping and air breathers. There are both enemies and allies, and tender moments and suspenseful moments. Even though I like some of the tender and emotional moments in the film, to be honest I really do not care for Katniss and Peeta's little romance. It seems just a tad bit corny and phoned in too me. But hey maybe it was SUPPOSE  to be that way. Heck I even think it was suppose to be that in the movie itself. I don't really believe Katniss feels that very romantically interested in Peeta, I think she just sees him as a good, nice, but heavily lovesick friend. But I do not want to sound like an over analyzing fangirl. What I like the most is the delivery of the setting, the portrayal and development of the character, the delivery of the story, the suspense of the Hunger Games scenes, and the cautionary message of this film. It sounds sort of silly but I think it has something to do with reality television. And I love how this film satirizes reality television with the way audiences "choose" their favorite candidates, the way the audiences behave when watching the show, the commentary, the idea of sponsors, all that stuff. A lot of the film actually feels like watching a reality show with the addictive curiosity of what's going to happen next. But while this film is satirical and a cautionary tale, reality television is lazy and uninspired trash.  And even if the film is not targeting directly at reality television, it still has an interesting commentary on gossip, consumerism, materialism, celebrities, and unexplained curiosity of other people's personal lives. While I do not think it is a fantastic or outstanding film, I think that it is solid good with a solid good story and characters, but with an unbelievable setting and ambitious message. What could have made it great, for me anyways, if the ending took a different turn. I do not want to give away too much, but if the ending took the turn it was almost going to, that would've hit me like an arrow in the heart. That would probably stay with me for the rest of my life it would have been so good. I would have praised the hell out of this movie more if the ending took that direction. I would've thought this would have been revolutionary to the way we see and make films targeting at a teen audience. I would've been so challenging yet so deliciously refreshing. But sadly it would not have been the way the book ends, and hardcore fans would be royally pissed. Plus they do have to continue the series with the same characters returning. But even so with my "fantasy" ending I think they would've gone a risky yet interesting turn with the series. Overall, it's solid good in my book and it would be probably hard to change that opinion even if I see it a few more times. 

GRADE: P


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