LII WATCHES: The Hunger Games
Title: The Hunger Games
Year of release: 2012
Directed by: Gary Ross
Screenplay by: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland
There aren't a lot of things or people out there that can get me listening to - and liking - a Taylor Swift song. It is about damn time that I wrote this up. Put on your camping gear, string up your longbows, and prepare to face The Hunger Games.
Let me preface this by stating that I have not, as of now, read all of the books. I imagine that my reading will be colored by my perception of the movies. I have, however seen both of the films that have been released thus far. Catching Fire will get a write-up right after I finish here.
OKAY. So this is the movie that my friends and family have been telling me over and over again that I have to see, and I've had more people recommend the books to me than any other books ever - even Twilight and Harry Potter. The former, yay. The latter, huh. So to say the least, I had high expectations for this movie. And boy howdy, did it meet them.
One of these days, I'll finish the book (I've started up school again and I've got about 16 credit hours to contend with... pleasure-reading ain't really happening unless it's a thirty-page fanfic on my Kindle) and write out my opinions on the adaptation bits between it and its movie. One of these days.
Anyhoodle. I will say this: I've heard nothing but good things when it comes to the adaptation aspect of this franchise. What could have gone so horribly wrong didn't, and thank goodness.
For those of you who don't know (and seriously, even I knew the plot of these books before I saw the movie) The Hunger Games is about a young girl named Katniss Everdeen living in a semi-post-apocalyptic not-America of the not-so-distant future (the country is actually called Panem). Katniss and her family are residents of the poorest district, District 12. Her father is dead, her mother is barely there, and her baby sister Primrose is finally of age to have her named entered into the pool of contestants for the Reaping. Lo and behold, however, the Reaping has begun and the Capitol's entourage has arrived in the District to pick the (un)lucky boy and girl to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games, a battle royale fight-to-the-death that is televised throughout Panem. (Yes, I know that some Battle Royale fans were pissed that it resembled the book and movie in question. I seriously do not think Collins ripped it off.) Katniss's name is in the pool twenty times (there's an explanation in the book for this... remind me to address that later) and yet, it's her sister's name that is called when the time finally comes. Determined to protect her family, Katniss volunteers to take Prim's place and is whisked away into the deadliest game she's ever had to play... and I'm not just talking about the titular one.
Okay, onto the Lii-is-a-fine-arts-student-and-must-nerd-out bit.
This movie looks gorgeous. The cinematography is spectacular, from the gritty District 12 to the glitzy Capitol. The special effects are unobtrusive and get their point across succinctly without being overblown. I didn't need to completely hang my disbelief to watch this movie, which is always nice.
Costuming is fan-freaking-tastic. Whoever got to design Katniss's many outfits for her pre-Games tour clearly had a ball. In fact, the Capitol fashion looks like someone in Harujuku got high and took control of production. It's terrifying and artificial, and it captures the feeling of the Capitol so well. The pieced-together wardrobes of the poorer Districts add to the visual narrative of the hardships that the citizens face on a daily basis. I didn't see enough of the other Districts, but from what I could tell, it was consistent.
Also, the hair. The. Hair I didn't recognize Stanley Tucci when he appeared, it was with a jolt that I realized who he was. (Seriously, I screamed "STANLEY TUCCI WAS IN THIS MOVIE" when I saw his name in the credits. I might've scared my dog.) The people who did the hairstyling need awards, stat. There was one part when Katniss was getting made-up and prettified before she got to meet Cinna, and the stylist working on her had these ridiculous eyelashes on, and I just sporfled. I mean, god. The Capitol make-up and fashion was grotesque, which made it all the better to be quite honest.
As for the actors' performances... wait, let me go back to Stanley Tucci. Stanley Tucci played the talk show host Caesar Flickerman, and he also was in Captain America: The First Avenger as Dr. Erskine. In The Hunger Games, Flickerman gets a co-host for the actual Game, and the other host is Claudius Templesmith, played by Toby Jones. Toby Jones was also in Cap 1... as Doctor Armin Zola of HYDRA. IT IS A SMALL FREAKING WORLD.
Okay, okay, okay, back to the cast... well, can I just say that I already adored Jennifer Lawrence before I saw this? Because I did. I saw her as Mystique in X-Men: the First Class, and she brought some serious game to that movie; plus, she's an adorable person in real life. Her take on the largely humorless Katniss was fascinating, because I know she's incredibly expressive otherwise. Katniss as a character is pretty emotionless outwardly, keeping a poker face on most of the time, and Lawrence's performance echoed the character brilliantly. Hats off to you, JLaw.
Josh Hutcherson's character was not as pervasive as Lawrence's - and Liam Hemsworth's character even less so - but he still managed to come off as a wholesome character that you tended to root for and sympathize with. You know those "Nice Guys" out there that internet feminists really hate and call out a lot? Peeta is not one of those guys. He is genuinely in love with Katniss but respects her enough to not push himself on her - plus, he know that she'd kick his ass if he tried. The unrequited love that Hutcherson manages to interject to his secondary role makes his upgrade to primary in the next movie even more well-earned. The Hunger Games served as a two-hour-long introduction to Peeta. It succeeded magnificently.
I can't really comment on Liam Hemsworth's Gale, because Gale didn't really get much screentime in this - or the next - film. From what little we see of him in The Hunger Games, he seems to regard Katniss as a baby sister. The bits where he's shown clearly not liking Katniss's on-screen relationship with Peeta during the actual Games kind of felt out-of-nowhere to me. (I'll get to my feelings on this in Catching Fire when I actually write that one up.) He reminds me of one of my cousins, to be honest. Meh on him.
Woody Harrelson as Haymitch and Elizabeth Banks as Effie were fantastic. Effie's legendary "THAT IS MAHOGANY" line is worth all of its memetic gloriousness that Tumblr has given it. Haymitch manages to come off as more of a likable character in the film - from what I've read in the first book, he's kind of a slob and an asshole that Katniss can barely put up with. The movie version is much more preferable and sympathetic, at least to me. You get a real sense of the gravity of what he's lived through, as a winner of a previous Game. It's only compounded when we actually see the current Game itself.
Cinna is played by Lenny Kravitz, who is a musician. I know this because my dad fanboyed over him. Cinna's character in this movie is understated and much cooler, which I liked (again, rather than the book.) He stands out against the false glamour of the rest of the Capitol, and I feel like he's more of an ally to Katniss here. Also, in-universe, his fashion style is bitchin'.
Rue. Rue Rue Rue Rue Ruuueeee. Played by Amandla Stenberg, Rue is probably the emotional heart of this film. She's barely a minor character and yet her death hit me so hard. I knew it was coming, because Internet, and yet the film managed to A.) fake me out and B.) punch me in the feels even so. Katniss's three-fingered salute made me tear up all over again. Wow, feels. Such feels, much sad. So much depth for a movie adapted from a young adult novel. (For the record, there is such a thing as a compelling YA read. I know because I've read them. If I hear one more person say all teen books are shallow/silly/stupid, I will morph into a Kaiju and stomp on a city.)
As for the rest of the cast, wow. Especially the other Tributes from the other Districts - the bloodthirsty Careers were terrifying, and the girl who manages to get the drop on Katniss at the Cornucopia seemed genuinely deranged. Major props to those kid actors, serious kudos.
Special mention for Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane. Not only was he gorgeous (I have a problem when it comes to pretty men, halp) but he was cunning and devious in a political sense. You got the feeling that he genuinely did not feel the gravity of what he was doing as the Game's designer and master. It was chilling, and even more so when he was killed for the outcome.
Donald Sutherland is an interesting actor in the sense that I really feel like he ruined the Buffy: the Vampire Slayer movie even beyond the point that it was already ruined at. But as President Snow, he is genuinely threatening. As long as Don manages not to be a complete ass behind the scenes, I can see this role being a defining one for him - especially since Snow is taking a larger role in the sequels.
I want to go into the plot, but I really should leave that for when I finish the book. In any case: from a screenwriting perspective, the flow of the narrative was well-done. I never felt rushed when it came to pacing, and I feel like having the first two acts be build up to the actual Games really lent to the film's strengths. Making the actual games only last the third act was very, very smart. I actually have heard complaints that it took to long to actually get to the Games part of the movie and I don't really think that argument holds water. The build up was not only interesting, it was necessary and world-building. Our viewing experience is enriched by it.
Final thoughts: this film was an entertaining and enjoyable one. It has rewatch value and managed to capture my attention and emotion pretty damn well. I didn't feel overwhelmed and confused as a newcomer to the canon, and that is a major plus to its nature as an adaptation. If I were rating on a star system, I'd give it three and a half stars out of five. There are a few things I'd fix, and they're mostly plot-related things. We'll see if my reading of the book clarifies things for me.
Also, the soundtrack is overall pretty kickass. I give that a 8/10. /uncalled-for opinions
Year of release: 2012
Directed by: Gary Ross
Screenplay by: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, and Donald Sutherland
There aren't a lot of things or people out there that can get me listening to - and liking - a Taylor Swift song. It is about damn time that I wrote this up. Put on your camping gear, string up your longbows, and prepare to face The Hunger Games.
Let me preface this by stating that I have not, as of now, read all of the books. I imagine that my reading will be colored by my perception of the movies. I have, however seen both of the films that have been released thus far. Catching Fire will get a write-up right after I finish here.
OKAY. So this is the movie that my friends and family have been telling me over and over again that I have to see, and I've had more people recommend the books to me than any other books ever - even Twilight and Harry Potter. The former, yay. The latter, huh. So to say the least, I had high expectations for this movie. And boy howdy, did it meet them.
One of these days, I'll finish the book (I've started up school again and I've got about 16 credit hours to contend with... pleasure-reading ain't really happening unless it's a thirty-page fanfic on my Kindle) and write out my opinions on the adaptation bits between it and its movie. One of these days.
Anyhoodle. I will say this: I've heard nothing but good things when it comes to the adaptation aspect of this franchise. What could have gone so horribly wrong didn't, and thank goodness.
For those of you who don't know (and seriously, even I knew the plot of these books before I saw the movie) The Hunger Games is about a young girl named Katniss Everdeen living in a semi-post-apocalyptic not-America of the not-so-distant future (the country is actually called Panem). Katniss and her family are residents of the poorest district, District 12. Her father is dead, her mother is barely there, and her baby sister Primrose is finally of age to have her named entered into the pool of contestants for the Reaping. Lo and behold, however, the Reaping has begun and the Capitol's entourage has arrived in the District to pick the (un)lucky boy and girl to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games, a battle royale fight-to-the-death that is televised throughout Panem. (Yes, I know that some Battle Royale fans were pissed that it resembled the book and movie in question. I seriously do not think Collins ripped it off.) Katniss's name is in the pool twenty times (there's an explanation in the book for this... remind me to address that later) and yet, it's her sister's name that is called when the time finally comes. Determined to protect her family, Katniss volunteers to take Prim's place and is whisked away into the deadliest game she's ever had to play... and I'm not just talking about the titular one.
Okay, onto the Lii-is-a-fine-arts-student-and-must-nerd-out bit.
This movie looks gorgeous. The cinematography is spectacular, from the gritty District 12 to the glitzy Capitol. The special effects are unobtrusive and get their point across succinctly without being overblown. I didn't need to completely hang my disbelief to watch this movie, which is always nice.
Costuming is fan-freaking-tastic. Whoever got to design Katniss's many outfits for her pre-Games tour clearly had a ball. In fact, the Capitol fashion looks like someone in Harujuku got high and took control of production. It's terrifying and artificial, and it captures the feeling of the Capitol so well. The pieced-together wardrobes of the poorer Districts add to the visual narrative of the hardships that the citizens face on a daily basis. I didn't see enough of the other Districts, but from what I could tell, it was consistent.
Also, the hair. The. Hair I didn't recognize Stanley Tucci when he appeared, it was with a jolt that I realized who he was. (Seriously, I screamed "STANLEY TUCCI WAS IN THIS MOVIE" when I saw his name in the credits. I might've scared my dog.) The people who did the hairstyling need awards, stat. There was one part when Katniss was getting made-up and prettified before she got to meet Cinna, and the stylist working on her had these ridiculous eyelashes on, and I just sporfled. I mean, god. The Capitol make-up and fashion was grotesque, which made it all the better to be quite honest.
As for the actors' performances... wait, let me go back to Stanley Tucci. Stanley Tucci played the talk show host Caesar Flickerman, and he also was in Captain America: The First Avenger as Dr. Erskine. In The Hunger Games, Flickerman gets a co-host for the actual Game, and the other host is Claudius Templesmith, played by Toby Jones. Toby Jones was also in Cap 1... as Doctor Armin Zola of HYDRA. IT IS A SMALL FREAKING WORLD.
Okay, okay, okay, back to the cast... well, can I just say that I already adored Jennifer Lawrence before I saw this? Because I did. I saw her as Mystique in X-Men: the First Class, and she brought some serious game to that movie; plus, she's an adorable person in real life. Her take on the largely humorless Katniss was fascinating, because I know she's incredibly expressive otherwise. Katniss as a character is pretty emotionless outwardly, keeping a poker face on most of the time, and Lawrence's performance echoed the character brilliantly. Hats off to you, JLaw.
Josh Hutcherson's character was not as pervasive as Lawrence's - and Liam Hemsworth's character even less so - but he still managed to come off as a wholesome character that you tended to root for and sympathize with. You know those "Nice Guys" out there that internet feminists really hate and call out a lot? Peeta is not one of those guys. He is genuinely in love with Katniss but respects her enough to not push himself on her - plus, he know that she'd kick his ass if he tried. The unrequited love that Hutcherson manages to interject to his secondary role makes his upgrade to primary in the next movie even more well-earned. The Hunger Games served as a two-hour-long introduction to Peeta. It succeeded magnificently.
I can't really comment on Liam Hemsworth's Gale, because Gale didn't really get much screentime in this - or the next - film. From what little we see of him in The Hunger Games, he seems to regard Katniss as a baby sister. The bits where he's shown clearly not liking Katniss's on-screen relationship with Peeta during the actual Games kind of felt out-of-nowhere to me. (I'll get to my feelings on this in Catching Fire when I actually write that one up.) He reminds me of one of my cousins, to be honest. Meh on him.
Woody Harrelson as Haymitch and Elizabeth Banks as Effie were fantastic. Effie's legendary "THAT IS MAHOGANY" line is worth all of its memetic gloriousness that Tumblr has given it. Haymitch manages to come off as more of a likable character in the film - from what I've read in the first book, he's kind of a slob and an asshole that Katniss can barely put up with. The movie version is much more preferable and sympathetic, at least to me. You get a real sense of the gravity of what he's lived through, as a winner of a previous Game. It's only compounded when we actually see the current Game itself.
Cinna is played by Lenny Kravitz, who is a musician. I know this because my dad fanboyed over him. Cinna's character in this movie is understated and much cooler, which I liked (again, rather than the book.) He stands out against the false glamour of the rest of the Capitol, and I feel like he's more of an ally to Katniss here. Also, in-universe, his fashion style is bitchin'.
Rue. Rue Rue Rue Rue Ruuueeee. Played by Amandla Stenberg, Rue is probably the emotional heart of this film. She's barely a minor character and yet her death hit me so hard. I knew it was coming, because Internet, and yet the film managed to A.) fake me out and B.) punch me in the feels even so. Katniss's three-fingered salute made me tear up all over again. Wow, feels. Such feels, much sad. So much depth for a movie adapted from a young adult novel. (For the record, there is such a thing as a compelling YA read. I know because I've read them. If I hear one more person say all teen books are shallow/silly/stupid, I will morph into a Kaiju and stomp on a city.)
As for the rest of the cast, wow. Especially the other Tributes from the other Districts - the bloodthirsty Careers were terrifying, and the girl who manages to get the drop on Katniss at the Cornucopia seemed genuinely deranged. Major props to those kid actors, serious kudos.
Special mention for Wes Bentley as Seneca Crane. Not only was he gorgeous (I have a problem when it comes to pretty men, halp) but he was cunning and devious in a political sense. You got the feeling that he genuinely did not feel the gravity of what he was doing as the Game's designer and master. It was chilling, and even more so when he was killed for the outcome.
Donald Sutherland is an interesting actor in the sense that I really feel like he ruined the Buffy: the Vampire Slayer movie even beyond the point that it was already ruined at. But as President Snow, he is genuinely threatening. As long as Don manages not to be a complete ass behind the scenes, I can see this role being a defining one for him - especially since Snow is taking a larger role in the sequels.
I want to go into the plot, but I really should leave that for when I finish the book. In any case: from a screenwriting perspective, the flow of the narrative was well-done. I never felt rushed when it came to pacing, and I feel like having the first two acts be build up to the actual Games really lent to the film's strengths. Making the actual games only last the third act was very, very smart. I actually have heard complaints that it took to long to actually get to the Games part of the movie and I don't really think that argument holds water. The build up was not only interesting, it was necessary and world-building. Our viewing experience is enriched by it.
Final thoughts: this film was an entertaining and enjoyable one. It has rewatch value and managed to capture my attention and emotion pretty damn well. I didn't feel overwhelmed and confused as a newcomer to the canon, and that is a major plus to its nature as an adaptation. If I were rating on a star system, I'd give it three and a half stars out of five. There are a few things I'd fix, and they're mostly plot-related things. We'll see if my reading of the book clarifies things for me.
Also, the soundtrack is overall pretty kickass. I give that a 8/10. /uncalled-for opinions