Movie review - The Hunger Games
A poor coal mining district.
I can’t tell which era the people live in. From their clothes they look dated. But the guards’ uniforms look modern. So are the projector screens in the village. Children and teenagers line up in fear. One by one, they come forward to rows of makeshift counters mended by stern looking women, who pricked their little fingers and dripped their blood onto dockets bearing their information. They are then gathered in front of a town hall – girls and boys separated. A woman with eccentric fashion taste addresses them. She talks gleefully about the annual Hunger Games where one boy and one girl
will be picked randomly (like a lucky dip) to compete in a life-and-death fight. “This is ridiculous!” I told my best friend. Then there was another uncomfortable part. I asked her if she felt the scenes were shaky like the “Blair Witch Project” movie. “A bit,” she said. So it wasn’t my new glasses playing trick on me. I found out later that director, Gary Ross had shot certain scenes using a handheld cam. That explains. A review on liveforfilms.com was critical of the shaky scenes. “The film is destroyed by it. In almost every scene the camera is constantly moving. Whether it is Katniss hunting in the woods, people sitting in a room, the Tributes fighting each other or just standing still the camera hardly ever stops.” Maybe the entire movie was shaky. But as the story progressed, I was too fascinated by the unfolding scenes to notice it.
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her younger sister’s place to represent District 12 for the Hunger Games. People from her district and from Capitol (where the games is held) admire her for her courage. Even the mother of Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) supports her instead of her own son who represents the guys. Peeta and Katniss are school mates and he has a crush on her since. But he only reveals his feeling for her until their life changing experience at the games. This leads to a love triangle with Everdeen’s best friend, Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) and a doomed romance as every year, only one walks out of the games alive.
I can’t tell which era the people live in. From their clothes they look dated. But the guards’ uniforms look modern. So are the projector screens in the village. Children and teenagers line up in fear. One by one, they come forward to rows of makeshift counters mended by stern looking women, who pricked their little fingers and dripped their blood onto dockets bearing their information. They are then gathered in front of a town hall – girls and boys separated. A woman with eccentric fashion taste addresses them. She talks gleefully about the annual Hunger Games where one boy and one girl
will be picked randomly (like a lucky dip) to compete in a life-and-death fight. “This is ridiculous!” I told my best friend. Then there was another uncomfortable part. I asked her if she felt the scenes were shaky like the “Blair Witch Project” movie. “A bit,” she said. So it wasn’t my new glasses playing trick on me. I found out later that director, Gary Ross had shot certain scenes using a handheld cam. That explains. A review on liveforfilms.com was critical of the shaky scenes. “The film is destroyed by it. In almost every scene the camera is constantly moving. Whether it is Katniss hunting in the woods, people sitting in a room, the Tributes fighting each other or just standing still the camera hardly ever stops.” Maybe the entire movie was shaky. But as the story progressed, I was too fascinated by the unfolding scenes to notice it.
Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her younger sister’s place to represent District 12 for the Hunger Games. People from her district and from Capitol (where the games is held) admire her for her courage. Even the mother of Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) supports her instead of her own son who represents the guys. Peeta and Katniss are school mates and he has a crush on her since. But he only reveals his feeling for her until their life changing experience at the games. This leads to a love triangle with Everdeen’s best friend, Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) and a doomed romance as every year, only one walks out of the games alive.
“The Hunger Games” is adapted from the science fiction trilogy written by Suzanne Collins. The movie has a bevy of teen and preteen cast but it is rated PG13 meaning that parents will decide if their children who are under 13 should watch it or not. The concern here is the violence. John Jurgensen, a reporter from Wall Street Journal (WSJ) described the book as “challenging for that reason” and to watch your imaginations come alive on screen is “dramatic”.
“There are certain scenes where you really felt people gasp for breath in the theatre. I heard some sobs as well,” he reported. “It makes me think when certain young kids died in the film, how can they really pull this off?” At the Gala Premiere, I saw more teenagers than adults – probably they’re from the Hunger Games Singapore fan club. I have yet to read this book and Suzanne’s other two sequels, “Catching Fire” and
“Mockingjay”. Maybe, the story will develop into a romance where Katniss is caught between Peeta and Gale, and fans will be divided between Team Peeta and Team Gale (as in “Twilight”). But I’ve not seen this happening yet in the movie; their romance is still tamed and uncertain. Katniss may be a sharpshooting archer but I don’t know who she’s aiming at in relationship. Gale, Peeta or Cinna, her stylist?
“There are certain scenes where you really felt people gasp for breath in the theatre. I heard some sobs as well,” he reported. “It makes me think when certain young kids died in the film, how can they really pull this off?” At the Gala Premiere, I saw more teenagers than adults – probably they’re from the Hunger Games Singapore fan club. I have yet to read this book and Suzanne’s other two sequels, “Catching Fire” and
“Mockingjay”. Maybe, the story will develop into a romance where Katniss is caught between Peeta and Gale, and fans will be divided between Team Peeta and Team Gale (as in “Twilight”). But I’ve not seen this happening yet in the movie; their romance is still tamed and uncertain. Katniss may be a sharpshooting archer but I don’t know who she’s aiming at in relationship. Gale, Peeta or Cinna, her stylist?
If the movie was “very much so” true to the book as another WSJ reporter, Alexandra Cheney claimed, that leaves me wondering how much violence is depicted in the 384 pages novel (Scholastic Press; 1st edition). Whatever fans are in for, I find it uncomfortable to see scenes of
teens and preteens killing one other to survive. No doubt we have seen kids died in the Harry Potter movies but we don’t see them in a situation where they’re forced to kill to survive. Plus, the context between the two is very different as Alexandra rightly put it.
“Harry Potter was this fantastical world where you were fighting with the equivalent of lightsaber…it was magic. And this is very much true life: you’ve bows, you’ve swords, you know? Very blunt force objects that you can find in real life society.”
The theme of only the fittest survival reminds me of the children in William Golding’s novel, "Lord of the Flies" where they turn barbaric in the jungle. Although the killing scenes in the Hunger Games were well executed (you see the action but not really the weapons), who needs to see
a dagger to know someone is being stabbed? And what about the scene where Cato (Alexander Ludwig) fractured another guy’s neck with his bare hands? Action like this is enough to instigate violence and frighten young viewers. As an adult I’m desensitized to violence but that doesn’t mean I’ll approve of it. I’m definitely on Alexander’s side when she said she won’t bring her eleven or twelve year old to watch the Hunger Games if she has kids.
The use of violence in movies according to Snarky Amber at Mamapop.com can be classified under unwarranted violence or "necessary violence”. I’d suppose "Kill Bill" belongs to the former and "300" falls under the later. In the case of "The Hunger Games", Amber argued that angry parents berating the movie of selling violence as entertainment to kids is oversimplifying the view. “…The heroes of the book have been thrust into a world where they, as children, are forced to make choices that no child should ever have to make: to kill or be killed. And the result of that injustice leads to themes about government, liberty, and revolution.” The government here refers to President Snow’s dictatorship in Capitol.
Other than the violence, "The Hunger Games" is an entertaining movie interspersed with fashion, designs and futuristic technology. Capitol is a nation with über-modern landscapes and dandyish people on the street. If I were to live in such a city, I’d dread going out; dressing up to fit in is tedious. In fact, what most of us wear will be deemed as fashion faux pas. But I wouldn’t complain if I’m living in Katniss’ swanky dormitory with avant-garde features. The windows doubled up as a projector screen. Katniss could see moving images of her district on the pane.
The beginning of the games was like a pageant show except on a grander scale. Katniss and Peeta were preened and styled before appearing on TV to present themselves to the sponsors. At first, I couldn’t see the point of sponsorship in a deadly games. But later I got it. To help them
look their best, they were assigned with a personal stylist, publicist and mentor. Watch out for their first show – a parade at the arena. Their entrance was spectacular! Then there was this fiery dress that Katniss wore on TV that promises to make Lady Gaga jealous and men breathless. She looked like one hot fighter. The blue hairdo of TV host, Caesar Flickerman was pure shocking. Karl Lagerfeld popped in my head whenever he appeared. The most fashionable character has to be Seneca Crane, the master gamekeeper. His razor-shaped beard and scimitar sideburns was so cool looking. Already, 13,000 have liked the Facebook fan page created for his stylish facial hair. Only if I have more testosterone…
The display of fashion has led netizens to discuss how gay "The Hunger Games" is. Not Surprising. Gay and fashion are like Siamese twins. From what I’d seen recently at Men Fashion Week 2012, the male guests who mixed and matched daringly were as gay looking as the male spectators who giggled like girls at Caesar’s jokes. But dragging Cinna, Katniss’ stylist into the bisexual picture really beats me. In the movie, he had said that he liked Katniss, and there were some vibes between them. But I didn’t see him getting touchy with Peeta. Is it because he wore gold eyeliners? If that’s the crux of speculation, then all the male citizens of Capitol should be suspected of swinging both ways. Or are they confusing Cinna, the stylist with Lenny Kravitz, the rock star, who played that role and raised eyebrows when he dabbled in what a reader on Stylefrizz.com described as “borderline cross dressing”? Cinna will appear again in “Catching Fire” and until his death in "Mockingjay" (oops), Lenny will agree that the talks on Cinna’s sexuality is ain’t over till it’s over.
teens and preteens killing one other to survive. No doubt we have seen kids died in the Harry Potter movies but we don’t see them in a situation where they’re forced to kill to survive. Plus, the context between the two is very different as Alexandra rightly put it.
“Harry Potter was this fantastical world where you were fighting with the equivalent of lightsaber…it was magic. And this is very much true life: you’ve bows, you’ve swords, you know? Very blunt force objects that you can find in real life society.”
The theme of only the fittest survival reminds me of the children in William Golding’s novel, "Lord of the Flies" where they turn barbaric in the jungle. Although the killing scenes in the Hunger Games were well executed (you see the action but not really the weapons), who needs to see
a dagger to know someone is being stabbed? And what about the scene where Cato (Alexander Ludwig) fractured another guy’s neck with his bare hands? Action like this is enough to instigate violence and frighten young viewers. As an adult I’m desensitized to violence but that doesn’t mean I’ll approve of it. I’m definitely on Alexander’s side when she said she won’t bring her eleven or twelve year old to watch the Hunger Games if she has kids.
The use of violence in movies according to Snarky Amber at Mamapop.com can be classified under unwarranted violence or "necessary violence”. I’d suppose "Kill Bill" belongs to the former and "300" falls under the later. In the case of "The Hunger Games", Amber argued that angry parents berating the movie of selling violence as entertainment to kids is oversimplifying the view. “…The heroes of the book have been thrust into a world where they, as children, are forced to make choices that no child should ever have to make: to kill or be killed. And the result of that injustice leads to themes about government, liberty, and revolution.” The government here refers to President Snow’s dictatorship in Capitol.
Other than the violence, "The Hunger Games" is an entertaining movie interspersed with fashion, designs and futuristic technology. Capitol is a nation with über-modern landscapes and dandyish people on the street. If I were to live in such a city, I’d dread going out; dressing up to fit in is tedious. In fact, what most of us wear will be deemed as fashion faux pas. But I wouldn’t complain if I’m living in Katniss’ swanky dormitory with avant-garde features. The windows doubled up as a projector screen. Katniss could see moving images of her district on the pane.
The beginning of the games was like a pageant show except on a grander scale. Katniss and Peeta were preened and styled before appearing on TV to present themselves to the sponsors. At first, I couldn’t see the point of sponsorship in a deadly games. But later I got it. To help them
look their best, they were assigned with a personal stylist, publicist and mentor. Watch out for their first show – a parade at the arena. Their entrance was spectacular! Then there was this fiery dress that Katniss wore on TV that promises to make Lady Gaga jealous and men breathless. She looked like one hot fighter. The blue hairdo of TV host, Caesar Flickerman was pure shocking. Karl Lagerfeld popped in my head whenever he appeared. The most fashionable character has to be Seneca Crane, the master gamekeeper. His razor-shaped beard and scimitar sideburns was so cool looking. Already, 13,000 have liked the Facebook fan page created for his stylish facial hair. Only if I have more testosterone…
The display of fashion has led netizens to discuss how gay "The Hunger Games" is. Not Surprising. Gay and fashion are like Siamese twins. From what I’d seen recently at Men Fashion Week 2012, the male guests who mixed and matched daringly were as gay looking as the male spectators who giggled like girls at Caesar’s jokes. But dragging Cinna, Katniss’ stylist into the bisexual picture really beats me. In the movie, he had said that he liked Katniss, and there were some vibes between them. But I didn’t see him getting touchy with Peeta. Is it because he wore gold eyeliners? If that’s the crux of speculation, then all the male citizens of Capitol should be suspected of swinging both ways. Or are they confusing Cinna, the stylist with Lenny Kravitz, the rock star, who played that role and raised eyebrows when he dabbled in what a reader on Stylefrizz.com described as “borderline cross dressing”? Cinna will appear again in “Catching Fire” and until his death in "Mockingjay" (oops), Lenny will agree that the talks on Cinna’s sexuality is ain’t over till it’s over.
The Hunger Games is not a child’s play and yet the players are aged between 12 and 18. The violence might be obvious but the underlying theme may not. It was a brutal game televised on TV and watched by all. That’s voyeurism with sadism. Before they were despatched to the killing field, they were provided with the best of everything. I admit that I went wow at first at their star treatment but later I realized it was no difference from prisoners on death row having their last wish granted. I rather be happy with what I have and be alive. But staying alive was hard in the games when everything can be manipulated in a control room. Just when Katniss and Peeta thought that the fight was over and they could both return to their district as the victorious pair, the rule was changed and computer-generated obstacles were thrown in their way. The technology is cool but not the games.
This is not a typical movie about a prince saving a damsel in distress. It is about a she-hunter saving the life of a baker. But guys who are used to watching heroes than heroines may find themselves loving the latter. Who do you think “Sucker Punch” was made for? "The Hunger Games" has independent film studio, Lionsgate laughing all the way to the bank during its opening weekend. It had brought in over 152 million for Lionsgate’s formidable debut. Despite all the drummed up negativity, violence proves unmatched for girl power.
This is not a typical movie about a prince saving a damsel in distress. It is about a she-hunter saving the life of a baker. But guys who are used to watching heroes than heroines may find themselves loving the latter. Who do you think “Sucker Punch” was made for? "The Hunger Games" has independent film studio, Lionsgate laughing all the way to the bank during its opening weekend. It had brought in over 152 million for Lionsgate’s formidable debut. Despite all the drummed up negativity, violence proves unmatched for girl power.