Pitchforks: 2.5/5
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson
Rated: PG-13
Released: March 23
As supported by the film earning $68.3 million on its opening day, the highest single-day grossing in movie history for a non-sequel, many are familiar with the newest sensation “The Hunger Games,” which was released this past weekend on the big screen.
Ripped virtually word for word from the first of the three book series by author and now screenwriter Suzanne Collins, “The Hunger Games” stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark. The film does its best to catch viewers up to speed on everything, while giving those “in the know” a quick refresher.
In short, the film is set in the far-off, non-descript future in Panem where everyone speaks English, watches reality television and has citizens contained in strictly separated communities built with class structures of “haves” and “have-nots.” While the elite live in the lap of luxury, the others, like Katniss, live every day in utter squalor.
Attempting to understand the backstory is rather frustrating and ultimately moot, as it appears Collins herself simply gave up on offering a truly interesting or even unique story, and instead embraced the simplistic first-person narration of Katniss and stuffed it with teenage drama (along with subsequent comprehension levels), all dipped in the placebo of real world-like themes and issues.
Issues like power and personhood are flirted with for entertainment, such as killing children, but all are barely explained — almost in passing. If it didn't matter to Collins to adequately tell her story, why then should audiences care to understand?
The story begins 74 years after an unsuccessful revolution against the evil and corrupt government, referred to as The Capitol. To punish those who would dare defy their supreme and absolute rule, while also reminding and discouraging future uprisings, The Capitol divided the resistance’s sympathizers into 13 colonies, though the 13th had been demolished sometime before.
Each year, The Capitol requires each colony to select at random one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18. Both will be trained, separately and in groups, for a battle to the death in a man-made and man-controlled outdoor arena between all of the “tributes,” for the amusement of the rich and spoiled supporters of The Capitol.
Although no actual or tangible details are given as to how or why anyone would be in this situation, let alone tolerate it for 74 years, the hapless “have-nots” offer their children every year with a mere kiss and three-fingered salute in silence. Only this year, with Katniss in the mix, change is coming.
A quiet, smart and more-than-capable Katniss proves what it takes to survive, while also showing what it means to live as true and free as the rest, regardless of class. If anything, “The Hunger Games” could serve as the perfect springboard for young Lawrence to assert herself as the next female action star behind Angelina Jolie and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Perhaps with the added interest brought on by reading this series, audiences might begin to venture into more captivating and daring storylines, plots and characters, such as “Battle Royale” and “Ender’s Game” which at least have more capable writers. Needless to say, doing just that means better films in the future.
In terms of fandom, the movie is out and it’s all anyone is talking about — except of course for the Tim Tebow trade, flour bombing of Kim Kardashian and Geraldo Rivera’s hoodie theory.
If a reason is needed to see “The Hunger Games,” audiences are treated to a trailer for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” due out later this year.
Now that’s worth waiting in line for.
Reach the reporter at jbfortne@asu.edu
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