As a great believer in judging book adaptations on their own merit I never usually feel the need to read the source material prior to a film’s release. With that in mind I’m still not sure what made me reach for ‘The Hunger Games’, probably a combination of curiosity and the fact I’d finished Mark Kermode’s second book (‘The Good, the Bad and the Multiplex’ a must for cinephiles everywhere) a week before and was going nuts without something to read. I finished the book in three days. So it was with great anticipation that I went to a screening of ‘The Hunger Games’ last Friday.
‘The Hunger Games’ is set in the dystopian, futuristic state of Panem. Panem is divided up in to fourteen areas, 13 districts and the Capitol. District 13 was destroyed during a national rebellion called the Dark Days and as a result the Capitol developed the Hunger Games to punish the citizens of Panem for their rebellion and to remind them of its absolute power. The games themselves involve a boy and a girl ‘Tribute’ between the ages of 12 and 17 picked (in a ceremony called ‘The Reaping’) from each of the remaining 12 districts that compete in a televised fight to the death. Our heroine is Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a 16 year old girl who volunteers as the female Tribute from District 12 after her sister’s name is chosen. The story then follows Katniss and her male counterpart, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), on their journey to the Capitol and into the arena.
Cards on the table… this is bloody good.
As that none too brief synopsis suggests, this is a film with a lot of back-story, something that I think is dealt with quite well. There is a great deal of detail in the book that the film makers have deftly removed whilst still keeping the parts essential to the plot. In the name of balance I thought I’d get the opinion of someone that hadn’t read the book, so I sat with my brother and quizzed him on Saturday morning about his take on it all. He said he understood everything and didn’t get lost at all. We both thought a little more explanation as to the location of the arena and rules (or lack thereof) of the games wouldn’t have gone amiss but it’s not a big deal.
Instead of a romanticised, Hollywood feel, it’s quite a stark realistic film with a sharp focus on the tragic and dark nature of the games. I’d like to have seen a little more screen time given to the games themselves because they seemed to go really quickly (it may have just felt like that to me because I was enjoying it…) but the film makers included all the important arena action from the original story. Another, tiny niggle… use of shakey hand-cam… Bloody hell, I felt like I’d been at sea for a week after all the wobbley-ness! Not only that but on a practical level, it makes it quite hard to see what’s going on. So a little less of that next time thank you!
There have been a few grumblings about Lionsgate removing seven seconds of footage in order to obtain a 12A rating from the BBFC. I have no problem with this. Lionsgate are aiming for a teen rating because ‘The Hunger Games’ is teen-fiction. It would make no sense to alienate the films largest potential audience by giving it a 15 rating.
I also don’t buy the argument that it’s censoring the violence in the film. The violence is shocking enough to convey the message it needs to and to my memory there are no important fight scenes that have been left out, but it’s not (and was never intended to be) a full on blood bath. Besides it’s seven seconds… I ask you, how much of a detriment to a film can losing seven seconds of a fight scene make?!?! Seven minutes and you’d have an argument but seven seconds… no.
There are some nice supporting performances. Stanley Tucci as Master of Ceremonies Caesar Flickerman is good (when is he anything other?). I also liked Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy. He’s suitably drunk and disorderly throughout! Donald Sutherland as President Snow seems to have his psychotic temperament under wraps for the time being but that’ll definitely be more prominent in the next film.
The set up for the love triangle between Katniss, Peeta and Gale (Liam Hemsworth) is done nicely. It’s lovely to see that they haven’t honed in completely on the romance because there’s such a lot else in this film about which to get excited.
Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t put a foot wrong as the heroic Miss Everdeen and after this she will be catapulted to the upper echelons of
It’s been such a long time since a mainstream, teen targeting film such as this was so engaging, dark and poignant. It looks gorgeous (save for the hand held camera work), is brilliantly performed and refreshingly non-ostentatious (except for the bits in the Capitol which are supposed to be OTT). As a fan of the book I was totally satisfied and I can’t see any reason why a viewer that is unfamiliar with the books would enjoy it less than I. I’d say that’s a result by all accounts. The odds are TOTALLY in this film’s favour.
Right! Now I fancy some…
Reasons to be Cheerful!
1. The new Dr Who companion has been announced. It’s a girl (surprise surprise!), Jenna-Louise Coleman, a Former Emmerdale actress (I’m reliably informed). I’m trying not to let the fact she’s previously been in a soap cloud my judgement but the producers haven’t put a foot wrong so far in regards to casting so I trust their decision :-)
2. In other ‘Who’ news the teaser preview for the new series of ‘Doctor Who’ has been released on the BBC website! From this we can safely assume that the team will be together for at least the start of the seventh series (yeah alright chill out! Seventh series counting from Ecclestone onwards, not since the show began… obv!) and from this little titbit it all looks pretty good (read as ‘Rory looks pretty good’).
3. David Mitchell and Victoria Coren are getting married! I don’t usually fill my blog with idle celebrity gossip but to me, these are no ordinary celebrities. As a dyed in the wool quizzer, Miss Coren, as the host of BBC4’s super quiz ‘Only Connect’ (if you haven’t seen it, have a go at their ‘Connecting Walls’ and you’ll get the jist of it), is something of a hero of mine and David Mitchell is pretty brilliant himself and has starred in or written many of my favourite things. I particularly liked the way it was made known in the announcement section of the Times, I just think it’s lovely!
4. The Muppets have been given their own star on the Hollywood walk of fame! About time too! I will go there some day and there will be much unashamed, touristy photo-taking :-)
That’s all I’ve got for you today!
Goodbye till next time :-)
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