Heartlessed Review: The Hunger Games
A few days ago I gave in to intense peer pressure and finally went to watch The Hunger Games. And…I loved it; to the point I became mad at myself for not catching it earlier. Since I haven’t read the books yet (which I will begin this week), this review is purely going to be looking at the film itself.
One word that can describe the entire film would be emotional. Throughout the film we follow the eyes of our heroine Katniss Everdeen as she volunteered herself in her little sister’s place for the eponymous game, where 24 teenagers were selected from their respective districts to fight till only one survivor emerges. But The Hunger Game is more than a game: it is both entertainment and propaganda for the corrupted ruling class of the Capitol. Thus, Katniss not only has to face the violence but also a decadent high society that based its entire existence on lies and deception. She is both confused and repulsed by what she saw, and the audience feels what she feels throughout the film. A lot of this is possible because of Jennifer Lawrence, who made an emotionally captivating performance that really became the backbone of the film.
Also notable in the film is the not-so-thinly-veiled social commentary: the contrasting portrayal of the extravagant citizens of Capitol and the suffering poor in the districts is clearly a reflection of the ideas contemporary 99% movement clung to. An interesting comparison is made between the blissfully ignorant but otherwise normal Capitol citizens and the actual decision makers who ruthlessly kept their subjects, poor or rich, in check.
For someone who has not paid too much attention to the book series, The Hunger Games is certainly a nice start. It is entertaining, emotionally invested and thought provoking; a great first blockbuster of 2012.