The Hunger Games
When the trailer got out a couple of month ago I was really excited to watch this film. Because you couldn't see enough of what was the movie all about but the trailer did what it was supposed to do, it got me intrigued.A couple of days ago I finally found the time to watch the hunger games. I never heard of the books before the movie.
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| The Hunger Games (film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
We are introduced to a world where the district 12's population is living in a very hard conditions (we are not told much about what is going on with the rest of the districts but I assume that their state is more or less similar) when the population of the Capital just enjoys and prospers. From what we are told (in a very small doses if i may add) throughout the movie regarding the bad shape of the districts and the aristocratic elite of the Capital is that 70 + years ago there was an uprising of the districts against the Capital, a civil war broke out. The undisputed victors of the events from 70 years ago can be seen clearly in the movie if you look at the people: focus on their expressions, their mood but mostly their clothes and their visual appearances.
When you look at the people of the districts (11 and 12 - because they were the only districts that were showcased) you see real people that struggling to survive, but when you look at the people from the Capitol you see a very sick bunch of fu**d up individuals. They don't even have to say nothing their visual appearance says a lot (if not everything). They dress as if they are going to a gay parade every single day. Effie Trinket is the best representation that reflects most of what the Capitol and its people are, she is silly at times and completely attached from reality (the reality of the .districts which is closer to our reality
The price that the districts need to pay for the uprising is: sacrificing one boy and one girl between the ages of 12-18 to be sent to the Capital and fight to the death with 22 other boys and girls for the entertainment of the masses.The story focuses on Katniss Averdeen, a simple girl from District 12. Katniss is forced to volunteer to participate in the sick games in order to replace her sister who was picked in
the draw.
In addition to Katniss, Peeta is the "lucky" male pick from district 12. Katniss has a complicated relationship with Peeta throughout the years in District 12 and in the few days they get prepared to the Hunger games. Katniss doesn't know how to see Peeta as a friend or as an enemy after all there can be only one (it always nice to remember Highlander flashbacks). After all Peeta did help out Katniss when she was at the bottom a few years back, but the way he did that was patronizing and that is something Katniss cannot forget. Katniss didn't really think much about Peeta ever since the bread incident but after the reaping she understands that without her knowing she was aware of him and what was he doing all those years.
Throughout the training Katniss and Peeta help each other to look strong enough for the games but towards the end of the training they both understand that ... this partnership will have to come to an end.
When the games begin and the tributes go lose on each other Katniss listens to her mentor Haymitch's advice, and takes off to the woods, away from the bloodbath.
The following scenes were hard to watch. Don't get me wrong i love a great bloody fight scene like every other dude but this ... this was just difficult to watch even for me, it was a pure slaughter house. Watching all those little sweet curly haired kids trying hopelessly hide/run from the bigger kids with no use, I admit it was hard. The bigger kids from districts 1, 2, 3 ... were without feelings of compassion or remorse for nothing, they turned into vicious killing machines that butchered everything that moved and enjoyed doing that. These were probably very important for the director to highlight and showcase. The cruelty of Capitols leaders that need to scare the districts to death and prevent them for having any glimpse of hope.
From these point we see how Katniss Rue and Peeta try to survive the different obstacles they encounter each brings his own survivor techniques to the table. All three took off into the woods while Katniss and Rue put a distance between themselves and the other tributes in order to be left alone. As the game progresses Katniss discovers that Peeta is apparently joined to the group of the bigger kids and they try to take out the rest of the competition. But Katniss is wrong about Peeta because when Katniss gets pinned by the vicious kids, Peeta saves Katnisses life by helping her escape. Along the way Katniss runs into Rue and they try to help each other for a while. Until Rue gets killed by one of the vicious boys with a spear, Katniss takes him out immediately with an arrow, but that doesn't make her feel better because Rue is gone. That death of Rue makes Katniss so angry that she chooses to define the capitol, with her right hand she brings the 3 fingers to her mouth and raises the hand to the camera for all to see.
Now when Rue is gone and Peeta is in a bad shape (got sliced by Kato's sword a few days ago) Katniss has no hope, she doesn't know what to do next. Suddenly from nowhere the creators of the game come up with an announcement that two tributes from one district can win the game. This ignites Katniss, she hurries up to find Peeta, eventually she does find him camouflaged near the river and half dead.
From this point on I started to lose a little interest because Katniss and Peeta started playing on the love story for the audience (at least Katniss did) and I lost a little interest in that. Towards the end of the movie huge "Monkey-dogs" chase all the tributes that were left (Katniss, Peeta and Kato) to one place in order to finish the games. Katniss takes out Kato and our "couple" thinks that this is it. They won? naa the game organizers don't think so. They make the announcement that there can be only one, and the last two tributes from district 12 need to try kill the other in order to win the game. Both tributes decide to stick it to the organizers and want to perform a double suicide, when the organizers see that the tributes are not bluffing, they change their decision and crown both kids as the winners.
The good stuff
I have to admit that this is one of the better movies I saw lately. I don't say that because most of the movies that get released lately are crap, it has nothing to do with that. This movie was just very good. And I don't generally say that.The book - After I finished watching it, I picked up the books and started reading. I will say one thing generally when I start reading a new book it takes me a couple of chapters to get into the story but here with this Hunger games (the first book) I didn't have that I connected immediately with the characters, the story, the world ... everything. I didn't finish reading the first book yet and I have to admit that there are no dull chapters or moments everything was very intense from the get go. If I compare it to the last book I read which is "The song of ice and fire - Dance with Dragons" there were a lot of dreadful chapters with Daenerys and the free city's and all that crap that I couldn't stand, here so far we don't have that. The transformation of the story itself from the book to the big screen was superb; the entire content of the book was transformed perfectly to the movie.Time - The movie itself was very long (close to two and a half hours) but what’s great is I didn't feel the time while watching it. The only time I glimpse at my watch was when the fake romance started towards the end. If I as a viewer didn't feel how two and a half hours passed by, it means that I enjoyed myself.The end - The end of the movie was kind of weak and anticlimactic but I think that it was a preparation for the next chapter and that is why I will accept it as it is.Summary
As I mentioned before right after I finished watching the movie I picked up the books what means that I can’t wait for the sequel. I have a long time to wait but I will manage ... somehow.The Hunger Games and Catching Fire DVD's from Amazon
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (DVD / Blu-ray Combo + UltraViolet Digital Copy)
The Hunger Games [2-Disc Blu-ray + Ultra-Violet Digital Copy]
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games Book Trilogy From Amazon
The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set (The Hunger Games)
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