Hype for The Hunger Games has been building non-stop for a year. This led to several articles about how everyone would inevitably be disappointed when they saw the movie, because nothing could match that level of expectation. I went to see the movie on opening day, trying to keep my expectations to a minimum. When I left the theater, I was delighted and fully aware of why I had been so excited to watch this movie in the first place.
If you haven't read the book and/or seen the movie, here's a brief description of the world that author Suzanne Collins created in the first novel of the trilogy. The story is set in the post-apocalyptic country of Panem, which is all that remains of North America. The Capitol is at the heart of Panem, a city that is brimming with excesses and wealth, while the surrounding lands have been divided into twelve poor Districts that are filled with working-class people who have to provide goods for the enjoyment of the Capitol. In the distant past, a rebellion against the Capitol led to the obliteration of District 13 and the establishment of The Hunger Games. The Games are an annual tradition where two children (one girl, one boy, aged 12-18) are randomly selected from each District and sent into an arena where they will fight to the death. The arena can be anything, a forest, a desert, an Antarctic wasteland, but it is covered with cameras and the Games are televised throughout Panem as required viewing for all citizens. People place bets on the contestants and it is an example of the most horrifying type of reality television you could imagine. The lone victor is showered with wealth and the guarantee of a secure life for them and their family, while their District enjoys one year of prosperity where food is not meagerly rationed and everyone can enjoy the Capitol's "generosity and forgiveness." Essentially, the Games are the Capitol's way of keeping the masses in check, and reminding them that this is the price they are paying for their foolish attempts to rebel in the past.
The books are told from the perspective of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year old girl in the poorest District 12. On the day of the Reaping (the day that the children are selected for the Games), her 12-year old sister Primrose is selected. Katniss is not going to let her helpless sister go to this horrific fate, so she volunteers to take Prim's place and becomes the female "tribute" from District 12, along with Peeta Mellark, the son of a baker. They are whisked off to the Capitol with their drunken mentor Haymitch (the only person from District 12 to have won the Hunger Games) and their ebullient Capitol chaperone, Effie Trinket. There, they undergo some training, meet with stylists who come up with their "image" for the Games, take part in pre-Games interviews, and then head into the arena, unsure of whether they will be coming out alive.
The movie does a fantastic job of portraying the bleak and despairing look of District 12 and then contrasting it with the garish colors and excesses of the Capitol. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss with a stoic and resigned air, never betraying much emotion, just resolutely fighting to stay alive for the sake of her family. The only time you see Katniss' walls come down are when she has to interact with her little sister, and later in the Games when she forms an alliance with 12-year old Rue from District 11. Josh Hutcherson, on the other hand, gives Peeta the sincerity and charm that is needed to portray this boy who is terrified that he is going to die, but is a good enough actor that he will do everything he can to form alliances, win the hearts of the Capitol audiences, and keep Katniss and himself alive till the bitter end.
The trouble with adapting The Hunger Games to film is that the books rely heavily on Katniss' inner monologue. She doesn't overtly betray her feelings, but as a reader you are always aware of her thoughts and feelings about every situation. In the movie however, her inner life is mostly a secret that can lead you to misunderstand her actions. This makes me wonder whether people who only watch the films will be surprised as they watch the sequels (and given the incredible success of this first movie, of course the sequels will be made), and realize that Katniss and Peeta's relationship is a lot more complicated than they thought.
This is as faithful a film adaptation as you could expect, but the demand to make it PG-13 means that the killings of the various tributes in the Games are heavily censored and lack the brutality and horror that are vividly captured in the books. There are also various plot points that either didn't make it to the movie or were significantly altered. None of that mattered to me, because the essentials were all there and strikingly told. The shaky camera work prevents the movie from looking like some rote studio blockbuster and more like an earnest attempt to tell an urgent and compelling story. I was hooked from the start and by the time the movie reached its conclusion, I was impatiently wondering how long I would have to wait before the two sequels hit the theaters.
Most importantly, The Hunger Games is yet another movie that is anchored by a strong, fearless, intelligent female character. She is a "heroine" in every sense of the word, and just like Kahaani is leading to more Bollywood movies with strong female leads, many are predicting that the success of The Hunger Games signifies a shift towards more female-centered Hollywood blockbusters. Even if it doesn't cause much of a shift, at least we're guaranteed two more movies starring Katniss and the eventual revolt against the Capitol, and that is going to cause some hype that I cannot even begin to anticipate.
If you haven't read the book and/or seen the movie, here's a brief description of the world that author Suzanne Collins created in the first novel of the trilogy. The story is set in the post-apocalyptic country of Panem, which is all that remains of North America. The Capitol is at the heart of Panem, a city that is brimming with excesses and wealth, while the surrounding lands have been divided into twelve poor Districts that are filled with working-class people who have to provide goods for the enjoyment of the Capitol. In the distant past, a rebellion against the Capitol led to the obliteration of District 13 and the establishment of The Hunger Games. The Games are an annual tradition where two children (one girl, one boy, aged 12-18) are randomly selected from each District and sent into an arena where they will fight to the death. The arena can be anything, a forest, a desert, an Antarctic wasteland, but it is covered with cameras and the Games are televised throughout Panem as required viewing for all citizens. People place bets on the contestants and it is an example of the most horrifying type of reality television you could imagine. The lone victor is showered with wealth and the guarantee of a secure life for them and their family, while their District enjoys one year of prosperity where food is not meagerly rationed and everyone can enjoy the Capitol's "generosity and forgiveness." Essentially, the Games are the Capitol's way of keeping the masses in check, and reminding them that this is the price they are paying for their foolish attempts to rebel in the past.
The books are told from the perspective of Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year old girl in the poorest District 12. On the day of the Reaping (the day that the children are selected for the Games), her 12-year old sister Primrose is selected. Katniss is not going to let her helpless sister go to this horrific fate, so she volunteers to take Prim's place and becomes the female "tribute" from District 12, along with Peeta Mellark, the son of a baker. They are whisked off to the Capitol with their drunken mentor Haymitch (the only person from District 12 to have won the Hunger Games) and their ebullient Capitol chaperone, Effie Trinket. There, they undergo some training, meet with stylists who come up with their "image" for the Games, take part in pre-Games interviews, and then head into the arena, unsure of whether they will be coming out alive.The movie does a fantastic job of portraying the bleak and despairing look of District 12 and then contrasting it with the garish colors and excesses of the Capitol. Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss with a stoic and resigned air, never betraying much emotion, just resolutely fighting to stay alive for the sake of her family. The only time you see Katniss' walls come down are when she has to interact with her little sister, and later in the Games when she forms an alliance with 12-year old Rue from District 11. Josh Hutcherson, on the other hand, gives Peeta the sincerity and charm that is needed to portray this boy who is terrified that he is going to die, but is a good enough actor that he will do everything he can to form alliances, win the hearts of the Capitol audiences, and keep Katniss and himself alive till the bitter end.
The trouble with adapting The Hunger Games to film is that the books rely heavily on Katniss' inner monologue. She doesn't overtly betray her feelings, but as a reader you are always aware of her thoughts and feelings about every situation. In the movie however, her inner life is mostly a secret that can lead you to misunderstand her actions. This makes me wonder whether people who only watch the films will be surprised as they watch the sequels (and given the incredible success of this first movie, of course the sequels will be made), and realize that Katniss and Peeta's relationship is a lot more complicated than they thought.
This is as faithful a film adaptation as you could expect, but the demand to make it PG-13 means that the killings of the various tributes in the Games are heavily censored and lack the brutality and horror that are vividly captured in the books. There are also various plot points that either didn't make it to the movie or were significantly altered. None of that mattered to me, because the essentials were all there and strikingly told. The shaky camera work prevents the movie from looking like some rote studio blockbuster and more like an earnest attempt to tell an urgent and compelling story. I was hooked from the start and by the time the movie reached its conclusion, I was impatiently wondering how long I would have to wait before the two sequels hit the theaters.
Most importantly, The Hunger Games is yet another movie that is anchored by a strong, fearless, intelligent female character. She is a "heroine" in every sense of the word, and just like Kahaani is leading to more Bollywood movies with strong female leads, many are predicting that the success of The Hunger Games signifies a shift towards more female-centered Hollywood blockbusters. Even if it doesn't cause much of a shift, at least we're guaranteed two more movies starring Katniss and the eventual revolt against the Capitol, and that is going to cause some hype that I cannot even begin to anticipate.
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