The Hunger Games is a hit
Over the past week, you’ve probably heard mention of The Hunger Games more than a few times. For those of you that have read the trilogy by Suzanne Collins, you were probably anticipating the movie adaptation of the first book, which came out March 23. For those of you that had no idea what The Hunger Games was or still have no idea, this is your chance to find out why you should go see this film, and why it’s nothing like Twilight.
The movie is set in a futuristic post-apocalyptic North America called Panem. Each of the 12 districts of Panem are required to have one boy and one girl representative participate in the annual Hunger Games, a televised battle to the death.
The two tributes are chosen at random in most districts, such as District 12, home of story’s heroine Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence. District 12 is one of the poorest districts where children can barely find enough to eat, let alone be prepared for such a battle. Wealthier districts, such as one and two, train their children for the Hunger Games and the children actually volunteer for the Hunger Games at the age of 18. Once selected, the two tributes from each district are shipped-off to the Capitol where they are pampered, cleaned, interviewed, and trained for two weeks before the actual competition begins.
For the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss volunteers as tribute in place of her younger sister, Prim. Peeta Mellark, played by Josh Hutcherson, is selected as the male tribute from District 12. Together with their mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, played by Woody Harrelson, they not only face the Capitol but also create a love triangle for viewers (the third corner of this triangle is Gale Hawthorne, the childhood friend and hunting companion of Katniss. This, however, is not to be confused with the Edward-Bella-Jacob drama). The actual games bring a sense of violence without showing every gruesome detail, and help show the dominance of some districts as opposed to others. Through the several days in the arena, we see many alliances form between tributes and many tributes die for the sake of entertainment in the Capitol. Despite a grueling competition, Katniss and Peeta both make it out alive, but what of the future for these two victors?
Two weeks ago, the Chimes ran a preview of the first movie and last week the movie hit theaters. The midnight premiere brought hoards of teenage girls donning their Twilight-esque “Team Peeta” and “Team Gale” shirts, and a handful of other fans wearing home-made and store-bought shirts and outfits, everything from “the girl on fire” dress to “May the odds be ever in your favor” shirts to “tribute practice” outfits. Regardless of outfit, everyone in the numerous theaters across the country was bonded by one thing: the movie.
As a fan of the series for years, I was pleased to see this movie retain even small elements of the novel in its re-telling, a quality many fans will appreciate. It has all the qualities that will make it an instant success: drama, romance, passion, attractive actors. It is not, however, the new Twilight. While Twilight is geared toward adolescent females, The Hunger Games provide a broader range of emotion and depth that adapt well to the silver screen for all ages. Although there is a love triangle, The Hunger Games is about much more than who Katniss ends up with; it’s a story about life and death. Now that the first of the three films has hit theaters, it is sure to create a media frenzy and hype that will make the next film, Catching Fire, an instant success. Now, we just have to wait for November 2013 for that film. In the meantime, may the odds be ever in your favor, Capital. Or should I say Capitol?
