Fans may be disappointed, momentarily, by the movie’s
speed—as with any good adaptation, we lose many details that are not absolutely
essential. They may not like the choppiness of the camera work and editing,
which makes you feel as though you really are watching the 74th Annual Hunger Games alongside the
citizens of Panem. They may not like the wide-eyed naiveté of Jennifer
Lawrence’s Katniss, who feels subtly less complex without the aid of the
novel’s internal monologue. They may dislike the casting of a brooding Liam
Hemsworth as Gale and the inconsistent Josh Hutcherson as Peeta.
But I think you’ll find very few fans and new-to-the-series
viewers who will not walk away from The Hunger Games feeling satisfied, intrigued and very, very
thoughtful.
Hear this, doubters: Gary Ross knew exactly what he was
doing when he signed on to direct this film. And he delivers. The Hunger Games
is as real as any diehard could imagine. It captures the immense fear and
resignation of the districts, and then seconds later, the glee the Capitol
takes in the meaningless slaughter of 23 children each and every year.
The Games are billed as a pageant, like Toddlers and
Tiaras but with far more serious
consequences when the Tributes take to the stage. And you get to see the
pageantry—the parades, the wild revelry, the game show-like atmosphere ushered
in by host Caesar Flickerman (played by the always incredible Stanley Tucci).
But you also see the flipside of the gay Capitol coin. The
people of the districts, in contrast to Effie Trinket’s satin and feathers,
live a life tinged by shades of mud and dust. And magically, the audience is
transported between the two. One moment, the scenes unfolding on the screen
repulse us, aching to comfort Prim when she awakes from a nightmare that she’s
been chosen as Tribute. The next, our eyes are glued to the screen as we will
Katniss and Peeta, the star-crossed lovers of District 12, to conquer their
competition.
It’s a juxtaposition that had me coming out of the theater
quiet, considering what I’d just seen rather than gasping over the (brief)
romance between Katniss and Peeta. The Hunger Games is most certainly a good movie. It’s engrossing, the
characters are sympathetic and well cast, the visuals stunning. But most
importantly of all, I think, it makes you question this society (whose Capitol
is disturbingly reminiscent of Washington, D.C., might I add, in its monuments
and reflection pools), and by extension, our own. Could we become Panem?
Catch The Hunger Games, in theaters now, and think about it. Then come back and let us
know what you
think.