Just as I was reluctant to read the book, I was just as wary to watch The Hunger Games. Why? Because where the book brought to life ideas of the possibility of such a dystopian society—a society that glorifies the murder of innocent children by the hands of other innocent children merely to show the power of its own government—ideas that make me uncomfortable and aren’t easily erased from my mind, I knew the movie would solidify those ideas with images and sounds that are even harder to erase. Don’t get me wrong—the book is incredible and the movie is too, but these are the kinds of books and movies that weigh heavily on my conscience, in the way that Schindler’s List is an excellent movie, but it’s not a movie that I would want to watch over and over again, because it’s too painful. But what makes this movie incredible, as I’ve just said? Let me share just a few thoughts.
The opening. Better than the book.
Actually, I find that the book has a rather lackluster opening. Katniss wakes up in her bed, and her sister isn’t there. We are given a description of the setting, which really is Literature 101. In the exposition, you set the scene and introduce the characters. However, Suzanne Collins doesn’t set the scene for Panem as a whole and its society, but instead sets the scene for District Twelve, how they have next to nothing, which you can see clearly as Katniss’ home is also described. You’re introduced to Katniss right away, as she is the main character and narrator.
Rather than start in District Twelve, the movie starts with a passage from the Treaty of the Treason describing the process of The Hunger Games, which then leads into an interview between Caesar Flickerman and Seneca Crane, the gamemaker for The Hunger Games. This, I think, makes for a stronger opening. You’re introduced to the concept immediately. You start in the middle and work your way backward for further exposition. You start in the midst of the “action”—in the midst of the interview. You hit the ground running and you never quite feel caught up throughout the entire film. I think the opening is brilliant. Go ahead. See a recreation of the opening passage for yourself and see that I’m right.
The casting. Does the book justice.
Despite what some might say about her lack of the olive skin that is native to the Seam, Jennifer Lawrence was a brilliant choice for Katniss. She has the same edgy attitude that Katniss does. And let’s not kid ourselves, this girl can act. She is a dramatic actress and an action star. Her strength as an actress suits the strength of the character. I was skeptical about Liam Hemsworth as Gale, though my skepticism may have been misplaced simply because I have very little respect for Miley Cyrus. Liam on his own, though, is a good actor and made for a decent Gale. I think the verdict might still be out on him, though, merely because we didn’t see a lot of him in The Hunger Games. Josh Hutcherson is the perfect choice for Peeta. Josh clearly showed his acting chops in one of my all-time favorite films, Bridge to Terabithia. He handled the role of Peeta very well. Stanley Tucci was great as Caesar Flickerman. Elizabeth Banks’ Effie was perfect and so was Woody Harrelson’s Haymitch, and the list goes on.
The cinematography. Very edgy.
I’ve seen movies “played safe” with basic camera angles and slow, sweeping vistas. The Hunger Games is not that movie. The camera moves and angles are jumpy, coming in close and zooming back out at a moment’s notice. I was particularly impressed with the reaping scene. The camera comes in close on Effie Trinket, at one point looking over her shoulder, and then zooms out to view the entire crowd. You can see Prim tuck her shirt in as she walks towards the stage. You can see Peeta’s face drop as his name is called and then a cut to the Peacekeepers escorting him to the stage and then another cut as he is on the stage. As one of the more memorable scenes from the book, this scene was particularly and purposefully put together.
The Tracker Jacker scene also stands out in my mind. It was also very edgy, very jumpy, but in this instance it was to signify the beginning of the hallucinations. As the hallucinations continue, you can really see the toll that the death of Katniss’ father has taken on her family. How Katniss’ mother has retreated within herself. How Katniss has to beg and plead to even get her mother to look at her. How Prim sits on her bed in a corner totally ignored. How her father died in a coal mine explosion. You can see an explosion destroy their home—symbolic of their family—and unexplode again as Katniss has to try to keep the pieces together, especially for Prim. I love symbolic scenes like these.
The setting. Very stunning.
We all know what The Capitol stands for and everything that happens within the Arena. However, both locations are breathtaking. The woods of the arena seem so peaceful. The skyline with the mountain backdrop of The Capitol seems so majestic. In reality, though, beautiful places like these exist because horrific places like District Twelve exist too. Sure, the woods outside their District fence hold the same peace and beauty as do the woods of the Arena, but once back inside the fence, every surface is touched by the bleakness of coal. This film as a whole, though, is beautiful to behold.
The scenes that pull on heartstrings.
Two words: Rue’s death. I wept when I saw it. I watched her die. I watched Katniss sing to her and the treetops above fade to white. I watched as Katniss prepared a burial place for her, covering her in flowers. I watched as Katniss looked deliberately at the cameras above and as she gave the three-finger salute to Rue’s family watching back home in District 11. And then came the scene that I wasn’t prepared for. I watched as a man, seemingly Rue’s father, see this and attack a nearby Peacekeeper. Suddenly the entire courtyard is in arms, tearing down The Capitol banners, burn nearby buildings at will, dumping food out of containers, beating Peacekeepers, shredding documents. Katniss didn’t even have to threaten to eat the poisonous berries—the rebellion had already begun. The berries merely sealed the deal. What an incredibly powerful scene, though.
The music. By James Newton Howard.
What made that scene all the more powerful was it’s swelling, very emotional music. Music can make or break a film, and the score for this film is perfect. It captures hopelessness and hope at the same time. In it, you can hear not only the simple music that seems to be native to District Twelve, but also the majestic music native to The Capitol and the pageantry of The Hunger Games.
What are your reasons for watching, hating, or loving The Hunger Games? Share your opinions in the comments.
