The Hunger Games - Directed by Gary Ross

I'd only heard about The Hunger Games (THG) a week before I saw it and the things I heard were pretty discouraging. I saw it compared many times to Twilight, which I loathe with a passion, so my general opinion going into this film was quite low. Isn't it lovely how a low opinion of something can sometimes make it just that bit more enjoyable!

I hadn't seen any of the trailers and I'd only heard smatterings about the plot from articles which discussed the adaptation of the story from some well known (apparently more well known in America at least) teen novels. I was getting prepared for another "lead" female character who's low expectation of her own life thrusts her into the arms of stronger and obviously acceptably vicious men (Bella), when I met Katniss Everdeen! I was then instead, from beginning to end, comparing this film to some of my most memorable and favourite filmic and literary experiences from my own teenage years. Perhaps it's not very encouraging that the film had my thoughts wandering away many times to reminisce about my past, a good film really should keep you more engrossed, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it in my own way.  

When I was a teenager I loved Stephen King novels. I think I was the only Goth (for about 4 months in the winter of my 14th year) at my high school. King wrote a couple of novellas under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, The Long Walk and The Running Man. They both dealt with a futurist America where young men are forced to play a kind of reality TV death game. I remember being very moved by what these characters went through and only wished there were more girls in the story (so, thank you Katniss). 

THG brought to mind other films and books; 1984, Battle Royal (the Japanese series), The Obernewtyn Chronicles (by Australian author Isobelle Carmody),  Dune and Blade Runner (because of the awesome 80's futurist style costumes in THG), The Lord of the Flies, Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy (of which the first book was also turned into a film The Golden Compass). I was entertained for hours after the film, reminiscing on these stories.

When, among my thoughts, I did get back to watching THG I enjoyed the acting and the costumes and the effects and the landscape, however much the story was lacking because of the admittedly dodgy adaptation. Jennifer Lawrence is very beautiful and strong and did an excellent job.  

I did sit a bit too close to the screen and the shaky cam hurt my brain a little (so, make sure to sit far enough back in the theatre) and I was discouraged to see a girl who looked about 7 wandering through the isle (this story is social commentary, which requires a bit of critical thinking, so I would advise a more mature audience - I'd say about 13 years for this one, it does include scenes where children kill other children) but aside from those rather minor issues I really enjoyed myself.

4 out of 5 stars.

With Love

Surgeon Bug