The Hunger Games (2012)

The Hunger Games is a film directed by Gary Ross and is based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins, and it should be on the top ten list for movies of the year for any reader of Critical Thinker magazine because it deals with many themes, such as hunger and poverty, which are pertinent in modern society. The success of The Hunger Games and the wave of interest it has generated has inspired the development of two sequels. Before its official release, this film generated a lot of interest among the prospective audience because of the difference in concept to the other films that had recently come from Hollywood. It can be said that the concept, upon which the film is based, is highly unique and extraordinarily few films have been created using the same concept. This film employs a vibrating abruptness that is hardly ever found in the work of Hollywood directors, and this can be said to bring the film closer to the realities of life. It has some cold bloodedness that is hard to find in many contemporary films, and this makes it one of a kind. When the film was released, it did not disappoint those who had expected it to have the qualities that were unique and fun, and at the same time made the film a serious picture to watch. It looks at the relationship between an authoritarian state and its citizens in a new perspective that many would consider impossible. This film is, therefore, worthy of the adoration that many of its fans have had, and continue to have, for it.

The motion picture gives the viewer a glance into the life of Katniss Everdeen, who lives in the post-apocalyptic state of Panem. In this state, because of a past rebellion, its twelve districts have to provide two tributes, a boy and a girl aged between 12 and 18 annually to fight to the death in an arena, with the sole survivor being declared the winner. Katniss takes the place of her younger sister in the games and because of her skill in archery is able to survive some of the worst attacks by her fellow competitors. In addition, she has a love interest in the form of Peeta, who before they get into the arena declares his love for her in an interview. The plot revolves around the relationships that Katniss develops throughout the film, from the one where she seems to love Peeta to her friendship with Rue, a girl from a different district who saves her life. Katniss looks upon Rue as a little sister and form a partnership with her, but this does not last for long as Rue is killed by a member of another district. It is from this point that we seen a change in the character of Katniss as she becomes more assertive and dares to challenge the authority of the government of Panem through various actions. It is through these actions that Katniss is able to force the hand of the government, to change the rules of the game so that individuals can work as teams. It is as a result of this that Katniss and Peeta emerge as winners, and the film ends with the president of Panem pondering on how best to deal with the emergence of defiance in the games.

There is a sense, around the main characters of the film, of being disconnected and alienated by the government and this helps to increase the excitement that one feels when watching it. This feeling keeps one wondering what is going to happen next, ensuring that one fully concentrates on the film, so the later scenes are not missed out. The characters are, unknowingly, brought together at the beginning of the film, each not having a hint of how interconnected their lives truly are. The participants in the games have to deal with not getting too close to the people around them for fear that they might find it harder to kill them when the time comes, since there must only be one winner. This situation keeps them alien in their new environment as they are not able to form the bonds of friendship, with the people around them, as would happen had they been in a normal situation. This film dares its audience to decide who the hero or the villain is because even those individuals who form partnerships, such as Peeta and Katniss, do not know exactly what the other is about. Despite the fact that they work together hand in hand to keep them alive, there seems to be no hint, especially from Katniss, that she does not have any feelings for Peeta until almost at the end of the film. From the beginning, these two characters are accepted as they are with no questions being asked, their behavior being taken for granted.

What makes this film special is not its plot, but the way the various actors starring in it portray the characters. Katniss is shown to be a woman who would have made a different choice in life had the responsibility of saving her younger sister by participating in the hunger games had not been thrust upon her. She is seen as a tortured woman whose life has been chosen for her, and there is no way for her to get out of this purgatory except as the winner. The lives of some of those involved in the games, such as Peeta, Rue, and Katniss are seen as a form of torture for them, and it is this shared torture that makes them come together to ensure their survival. Their motivation is to do the best they can in order to survive in situations which the fates have thrust upon them. Both Peeta and Katniss, through their acting up their love for each other do extremely well in the situations within which they are placed. Both of them go through the fights, killing all their rivals until they eventually become the joint winners of the hunger games. Therefore, neither of these characters can be described as being either good or evil, and instead, they can be said to be working for their own survival.

This is indeed a bold film which deals with the lives of individuals whose lives are going in a way which they did not expect. It focuses on Katniss’ desire to break away from the chains that are holding her and her society back, and this is despite the fact that if she manages to do so, then it might lead to her destruction. One can also say that the film is a tragedy because characters such as Rue end up dying and these results in a lot of grief for Katniss, with whom she had developed a close friendship. It can, therefore, be said that this film manages to capture the different aspects of human life. It shows the audience the futility of some of the actions that people take in their lives, teaching that one does not always get what they want. It is a film of revelation, as the characters get to assess their lives in different situations and come to find what it is they desire in their lives. The plot, as well as the skills displayed by the actors, has made the film one of the best to be made in recent years. The movie also has emotional twist, as seen where Katniss seems to be confused about her feelings for Peeta, and when the latter realizes that Katniss has been faking her affection for him throughout the games, he is terribly disappointed. Their seeming love affair is played out throughout the film and this receives high ratings from the audience, who are in full support of the couple.