pop culture The Hunger Games | Jennifer Lawrence | Youthink
Image credit:  Alliance Films | Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence)

Let The Hunger Games Saga Begin

by Arielle Sie-Mah - Western Canada High School, Calgary AB Mar 23, 2012

Honour, pride, love and drama - it's all in The Hunger Games!

Imagine a futuristic dystopia of “what was once North America,” where people are starved, suppressed and separated into 12 districts. Each year, the privileged few of the malevolent Capitol forces each district to select a boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death for honour, pride and a year’s supply of food. There is romance, drama and passion - and so begins the story that has captivated many.
 
On March 23, 2012, fans worldwide will rejoice at the popular book’s premiere on the big screen. Comparable to the Harry Potter and Twilight series, The Hunger Games movie has captured the attention of as many, if not more, young fans. It seems moviemakers have found that adapting popular novels into a movie is an easy way to cash in at the box office; and because The Hunger Games series is a trilogy, the cast and crew can be confident they'll have a steady fan base for the next two sequels.
 
The success of the movie, however, isn’t limited to the fact it's adapted from a book that has captured the imagination and attention of youth. The movie encompasses everything from action to romance to conflict, which appeal to both genders and all ages. Also, the cast is made up of  veteran actors like Stanley Tucci and Elizabeth Banks, and younger actors who are in the prime of their careers.

Jennifer Lawrence, who plays the role of Katniss Everdeen, is front and centre and in addition to her acting chops, has become a fashion inspiration for many girls. Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, who play Peeta Mellark and Gale Hawthorne respectively, are two heartthrobs starting to make their marks in Hollywood.
 
Perhaps the most appealing aspect of the movie, though, is the realness of it all. The lack of fantasy or make-believe may, in fact, be the most compelling part. No average teenager has to deal with a boyfriend that sparkles in the sun or the threatening loom of the Dark Lord. Nonetheless, The Hunger Games combines the best of both worlds: action sequences (without the wizardry) and the love triangle minus vampires and werewolves. Plus, the futuristic part is alluring simply because the future is so undefined and malleable. After all, some people believe that this year will mark the end of the world, but only time will tell.
 
It’s no wonder why fans have fallen in love with Katniss’ story; but despite all these positives, the question remains: Will the movie live up to the books, all of its hype and the hopes of fans? On March 23rd the world will find out.

Comments (10)
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Did the movie really live up to the books?

Submitted by AgentCND08 on Mon, 05/13/2013 - 09:50.

Upon hearing of the Hunger Games, I immediately read the entire trilogy and became nothing less that obsessed with such a fictional place. The reason behind this was mostly because as I was reading the books, I imagined an entire alternate universe where things were a bit more dramatic in my mind then there were in the movie. I'm guessing this is the reason why I found the movie to be a little disappointing; the books were written in such detail that I felt like some parts were forgotten in the movie. The movie was great none-the-less, but I feel the books gave a more intense feeling.

Amazing

Submitted by marisah.hildebrandt on Mon, 05/28/2012 - 09:57.

Just as the movie came out, I wanted to see it, but not without reading the book first! I borrowed the book from my friend because the waiting list at the library was way too long. I finished it in 2 days and saw the movie the next day. Hooked in 3 days, I love the book and the movie is very spot on. I hope the next 2 movies are as good as their books.

Better Than I Expected

Submitted by Jorielle on Mon, 04/23/2012 - 10:24.

If you've read the books, you won't be disappointed when you watch the movie. All the scenes were pretty accurate and even better than I was hoping it would be. The actors/actresses were all equally amazing. Jennifer Lawrence played a wonderful Katniss, Josh Hutcherson is indeed Peeta, and Amandla as Rue was just perfection. Although there were some issues concerning who actually gave the mockingjay pin to Katniss and what not. It was a shame Madge couldn't be in the movie, but overall it was a great film. Also, there may be a few waterworks here and there in some scenes so it would be wise to have a box of Kleenex within arm's reach.

Not a saga.

Submitted by YellowGunsRedGames on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 21:27.

I love Hunger Games, don't get me wrong. But Hunger Games nor Twilight is a saga.

Definition:
a. A prose narrative usually written in Iceland between 1120 and 1400, dealing with the families that first settled Iceland and their descendants, with the histories of the kings of Norway, and with the myths and legends of early Germanic gods and heroes.
b. A modern prose narrative that resembles a saga.
2. A long detailed report: recounted the saga of their family problems.

I don't like it when people call their book or a thing that they like a saga whenever they want to. It's not really a literary term you can latch onto anything you think is epic, then it loses its meaning.

The Hunger Games Trilogy is just as great as any saga and doesn't need the name to prove it.

Definitely worth reading and seeing

Submitted by Kathy Tang on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 10:35.

I've read and now own the entire trilogy as well as seen the movie twice. I can honestly say it's the best movie I've seen that has come from a book. Once I started reading, I literally could not put it down. The only thing that stopped me from reading were my meals and sleep. It is most definitely worth reading and watching.

Reluctant to watch

Submitted by Shel_bee123 on Mon, 04/16/2012 - 09:45.

I've always have had trouble watching a book-turned-movie after reading the novel in fear that I'll be disapointed once again. But after much convincing from my peers at school I was off to the theatre, and much to my suprise, was delighted to see that the movie followed very closely to the book's storyline. All in all, I very much enjoyed the movie and can't wait for the sequels!

Hyped

Submitted by cherrykookie on Tue, 04/10/2012 - 10:16.

I've read the entire The Hunger Games trilogy based off recommendations from friends. While I enjoyed the novels and understand its appeal, I think its overrated. Like you mentioned, I think that a large part of its popular appeal is the variety of genre's it delves into. I haven't seen the movie yet, but it looks promising for the theatres.

The Next Harry Potter

Submitted by Kat the Fabulous on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 16:36.

Everyone clear your weekend because if you read the book and see the movie you will be in love! I didn't want to read them at first but then when I started I couldn't stop. Harry Potter beware! This might just be more awesome! The movie was so close to the book, they even used some of the same lines in the movie as in the book. Totally awesome!

It Was A Lot Better Than Twilight

Submitted by winny_wheats on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 10:23.

That's for certain. Speaking as someone who religously read the whole Hunger Games trilogy and seen the much anticipated movie, I can honestly say, I was not disappointed - at all. The movie added faces and visuals to the imaginative story. The Arena, District 12 and the Capitol in the movie were so on-point. Exactly what I thought they would look like.

I haven't read the books yet,

Submitted by Pwong4 on Mon, 03/26/2012 - 10:21.

I haven't read the books yet, but my friend has and has seen the movie twice already. Apparently it's better than both the Harry Potter and Twilight movies.

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