May the odds be ever in your favour…
With The Hunger Games saga
coming to its conclusion on November 19th, I thought that it would
be a good idea to catch up on the saga thus far. What many people initially
deemed a rip-off of the Japanese film Battle
Royale has grown into an epic franchise all of its own. So let’s start with
the film that started it all. While this isn’t purely a
spoiler review, I will be discussing moments, characters and themes from the
film, so if you want to watch the film without much prior knowledge, skipping
this review may be a good approach (although you can still check out my final
verdict to see my overall, non-spoiler thoughts on the film).
Dystopian North America or ‘Panem’, as it is called; the
remaining citizens have been split into twelve districts, each with their own
special resources (mining, crops etc.) As a continuing punishment for a
rebellion by the districts, the ruling power of the Capitol enacted a brutal
vengeance; the Hunger Games. Every year, two tributes (a boy and a girl)
between the ages of 12 and 18 are selected from each of the 12 districts and
sent to the Capitol. There, they are thrust into a gladiatorial arena and
forced to duel until the last one standing emerges ‘victorious’. During the
latest selection in District 12, teenager Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers
to be the female tribute to save her sister Prim (Willow Shields) from the
terrible fate, much to the dismay of her friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth). Along
with male tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), Katniss is sent to the
Capitol and begins training for the inevitable bloodbath, along with attempting
to portray herself as someone worthy of support in ‘media rounds’. Katniss and
Peeta receive help from some in the Capitol, including fashion artist Cinna
(Lenny Kravitz) and their tormented mentor and former victor Haymitch Abernathy
(Woody Harrelson), but in a contest where only one can emerge alive, the
terrifying prospect of death looms…
First things first; I think that anyone who simply judges
this as a Battle Royale rip-off is doing both the book and the film a
disservice. There is much more to this series than simply being a carbon copy
of Battle Royale, which I will delve into more throughout the review. But for
now, I’ll say that The Hunger Games is an immensely assured beginning to the
series, overcoming its fairly limited budget to create a gritty and insightful
sci-fi action film.
The cinematography by Tom Stern is a tremendous tool in
bringing this world to vivid life. The opening scenes in District 12 feels
grimy and real; you can almost taste the misery and desperation of those who
live there. The execution of these early scenes is really effective; the film’s
very opening highlights this, when talk show host Caesar Flickerman (Stanley
Tucci) queries the Head Gamekeeper Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley) on what defines
his work, and a scream from Prim forms as an answer. There is a real sense of
dread laced throughout the film, and that dread reaches high intensity during
the ‘selection’ scene. I knew what had to happen, as a fan of the books, but it
was still painful to see on screen, and Prim’s screams of agony as Katniss
takes her place never fail to send chills down my spine. When Katniss and Peeta
enter the train to the Capitol and see its lavish surroundings, it is testament
to the skills of the cast and crew that we are almost as overwhelmed by the
lavishness of the surroundings as the two characters are, mainly because of how
successfully immersive their home environment is. When the tributes arrive in
the Capitol, the location is colourful and lavish, but almost as grim as
District 12. Artificiality oozes from every crevice in this environment, and
the importance of having a soul has been overwhelmed by the need for comfort
and outer beauty; this is personified in the form of not only Flickerman, who
is as fake as his teeth, but also Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), a chaperone
for Katniss and Peeta who only seems to care about the luxuries and not about
anything critical to their potential survival; Banks delivers phenomenally
entertaining work as Effie, an immensely vapid and larger-than-life character
whose interactions with Katniss, Peeta and their entourage are often
hilariously out-of-touch whilst also showing what a product of the Capitol she
truly is. These different locations, including the lush arena in which the
tributes do battle, all feel vivid and intensely realised, and as Director of
Photography, Stern plays a big role in that. However, less it seems like I’m
heaping all of the praise at Stern’s feet, there are many other people who
played a part in this. Costume designer Judianna Makovsky and the entire
make-up department do solid work in showing the squalor of the Districts before
really having fun in the Capitol, where the inhabitants have attempted to
modify themselves to the point of perfection when really the majority of them
look like something from out of a fever dream. Production designer Philip
Messina, set decorator Larry Dias and the art direction team of John Collins,
Paul Richards and Robert Fechtman also do fantastic work in bringing individual
personalities and vitality to these different settings, and the visual effects
used to create the Capitol are also effective (although the effects are
decidedly hit-and-miss in other areas).
Director Gary Ross (the man responsible for one of my
favourite films, 1998’s Pleasantville)
makes his first foray into large-scale filmmaking here. And, for the most part,
he does an exceptional job at the helm. In the build-up to the Games, Ross and
his crew put nary a foot wrong; the only issue I have is that, while the
District 12 scenes open the film brilliantly, the characters there slowly fade
into the background. Willow Shields is very good in those early scenes and
Hemsworth shows promise, but they’re both side-lined as the film progresses,
which is a shame. An even greater shame is just how wasted Paula Malcomson is
as Katniss’ mother (especially after I recently saw her great work in the show Sons of Anarchy); it’s always sad to see
a talented actress given little to do. Aside from that, though, Ross shows
patience in taking us into this world and getting us invested in the
characters. Also, he seizes the opportunity to lend greater context to
proceedings, seeing as the book was somewhat restricted in really exploring
this world since it was told purely from Katniss’ POV. While this still feels
like Katniss’ story, Ross and his co-writer Billy Ray show events from other
angles, most notably Crane controlling the Hunger Games from HQ or Crane
discussing plans with President Snow (Donald Sutherland). The scenes with these
two are truly interesting and make both Snow and Crane more distinctive
villainous figures (Snow had very little character in the first book, and
Seneca was purely a creation of the film). Both actors are on terrific form
too, with Bentley bringing a sinister and cold business-like efficiency to his
part and Sutherland especially being effortlessly menacing; Snow’s schemes are
brilliantly explained in these additional scenes, and Ross and Ray give
Sutherland everything he needs to convince the audience that this is one smart,
merciless man. There are other great character moments too, such as when
Haymitch watches on in disgust as children happily play-enact the violence they
witness in the Games to their father’s delight; Haymitch’s pain over being a
‘victor’ by killing others is etched on Harrelson’s face, with the actor
excelling as per usual and nearly stealing every moment he’s on screen. These
additional scenes show that The Hunger
Games isn’t just a rote screen translation of the book; this is offering an
expansion on the themes and characters of the book while still staying true to
the spirit of the source material, something which every good adaptation should
do. Ross and his crew also capture a great deal of verisimilitude; this rarely
feels like a manufactured product, unlike many of the other YA (Young Adult)
adaptations which come to fruition nowadays. The artificiality of the Capitol
is all the more sickening because of how committed the cast and crew are to
this scenario, and the way in which the Capitol is realised as a futuristic
version of Rome is terrifically well-done. This is captured wonderfully in all
areas of the film’s technical construction, but I want to draw particular
attention to the musical score; after listening to this score multiple times, I
honestly think this is one of composer James Newton Howard’s finest works to
date. The musical pieces for the Capitol and the action scenes really evocate a
sense of gladiatorial violence, malicious ferocity and an off-kilter sense of
tense disorientation. Meanwhile, the introspective and emotional pieces are
simply gorgeous; these pieces are so simple in their construction, yet they
work so beautifully. Howard’s score is integral to the emotional context of
this film, and there’s nary a note out-of-place.
So now, I should probably talk about the things which I’m
not too enthused about, the majority of which sadly occur during the actual
Hunger Games. Up until that point, I have very little issue with how the film
unfolds, and I do still really like this part of the film too. But there are
issues; first and foremost being the use of the ‘shaky-cam’. This is pretty
much exactly what it says on the tin; a camera being shaken more than necessary,
usually as an attempt to make the action more immersive. For the most part, I
don’t have any issue with the technique during the film, but during the
close-quarters fight scenes, it feels gratuitous to the point where it’s
sometimes difficult to make out what’s happening. I understand why Ross and co.
did this; for a property whose core demographic is a decidedly younger
audience, it wouldn’t do to have too much visceral violence (especially
perpetrated by children against children) and cut off that core audience with
an inappropriate age rating. So I can forgive its usage in the initial scenes
of slaughter within the Games. But when tributes are facing off in one-on-one battles,
I want to be able to see what’s happening, and (especially in the final
showdown) that isn’t the case. Also, as I mentioned earlier, the effects in the
film are a bit hit-and-miss; while this issue does appear earlier with some of the
backgrounds and the costumes that Katniss and Peeta wear, it’s never more
evident than in the arena, where some of the threats don’t look entirely
convincing. This does somewhat dampen the sense of excitement, though not
totally. But the real threats, particularly in the forms of bloodthirsty
tributes Cato (Alexander Ludwig) and Clove (Isabella Fuhrmann), keep the
tension levels high enough; Ludwig (who was the central star of 2007’s The Seeker: The Dark is Rising, one of
those failed YA adaptations) brings an arrogant and vicious confidence to his
role, while Fuhrmann (who some might recognise as the terrifying Esther from
2009’s Orphan) shows that she has a
real knack for bringing psychopathic characters to life with her coldly ruthless
portrayal. Overall, the lacklustre effects and the over-use of shaky-cam are
the only issues I really have, as they show a lack of polish in certain areas.
But I want to re-emphasise that I still highly enjoy the Games portion of this
film; it still captures a good deal of tension, the stakes are always high and
we do care about what happens to the main characters. And the expansion on the
source material is still wonderful; not only do we have further material with
Snow, Crane and Haymitch, but there’s also a clever and inventive commentary on
events from Flickerman and his co-host Claudius (Toby Jones, or Dobby from the Harry Potter films, as I’ll always
remember him). Both Jones and Tucci are great fun, Tucci especially revelling
in his manic and false character (and I know I’ve said this before, but those
teeth are something else, and Tucci shows brilliant self-awareness in flashing
them as often as possible).
The affection for the main characters is born not only from
the intensity of their situation, but also of the achingly human work by the
lead actors. As Peeta, Hutcherson (who was also in the 2009 YA adaptation Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant
– boy, there are a few actors from other YA projects popping up here) is
beautifully affecting as a boy thrust into a situation he knows deep down he
has very little chance of surviving; a moment in which he silently sheds tears
after his selection is a truly heart-rending one which encapsulates the
all-too-relatable terror of anyone who were to find themselves under these
circumstances. But Hutcherson also expertly captures Peeta’s charm, kindness
and intelligence; Peeta knows people, and he knows how best to create a
sympathetic and likeable image, which he uses to his full advantage and which
makes him a character worth rooting for both to the audience of Panem and the
film audience. Many people criticised Hutcherson when the film first came out,
but I think that he is a wonderful choice for this role.
But now, it’s probably time to talk about the star of this
film, the main reason the series really took off and became the success that it
is; Jennifer Lawrence. I don’t know if there’s anything new to say about
Lawrence, or ‘J-Law’ as she’s come to be affectionately titled. She is a
stunningly skilled actress, mainly because it rarely feels like she’s being an
actress in her performances. She always feels so natural and integrated into
her characters. This is certainly the case with Katniss, as she is one of the
most relatable action heroines to hit the screen for some time. We respect her
bravery in volunteering to save her sister, we understand her confusion as she
tries to navigate the process of both proving her skills and trying to create
an appealing personality so that people would be more likely to give her
life-saving items during the Games and we feel her panic as she first enters
the Games; the moments before the Games begin in earnest, as she’s comforted and
encouraged by Cinna (with Kravitz delivering strong work through his unforced
charm and warmth), are very suspenseful and well-executed, especially the
deer-in-headlights look on Lawrence’s face as she gets to the point of no
return. Lawrence is so effortlessly likeable and sympathetic here that it’s
almost impossible not to become engaged in Katniss’ plight, whilst also exuding
a toughness and vulnerability which make her a terrific figure to root for;
while she is capable, she isn’t invulnerable by any stretch of the imagination,
and she wouldn’t make it out of many of the situations she finds herself in
were it not for the aid of others. With that said, Lawrence gives Katniss the
fortitude and strength needed to avoid the risk of this character falling into
the damsel-in-distress trap. Her relationship with the other characters like Prim
and the young tribute Rue (the wonderful Amandla Stenberg) really bring out her
nurturing and caring side, but she also realises the injustice of her world,
and Lawrence captures Katniss’ rage and often confrontational behaviour with
palpable intensity. In other words, Lawrence is so brilliant in this role that
it’s virtually impossible to imagine anyone else in the role. As for complaints
regarding the romance in the film, I think that these complaints may be missing
something important, which is that the romance isn’t critical to both parties;
while we learn that one person really feels genuine feelings towards the other,
the other (though caring) may view this relationship primarily as a way of
corralling more support which may help them to survive.
That approach of attempting to corral support though a ‘star-crossed
romance’ shows the main theme of the film, which is the way through
which media can manipulate events. This theme is present throughout the entire
saga thus far, although each film approaches it from a slightly different
stand-point. In this film, it’s almost critical of reality TV, a notion which I
absolutely love. There are presenters who are consistently fake in their
emotions, show-runners trying to give events important meanings which simply
don’t exist (illustrated in one heart-breaking moment during the selection
scene where Snow discusses why the games are needed and the camera cuts to
children utterly terrified of the imminent death sentence they could receive),
people who love to steal the spotlight, people who have no time for the
falsities on display and finally the manipulators giving a level of grandeur to
something which, at its core, could be deemed morally corrupt and rotten
(certainly in this case)… Yeah, I'm not a fan of reality TV, and part of
what I love about The Hunger Games is
the social satire. From the betting on who will win to the commentators
constantly popping in to deliver dramatic insights, this is almost a
nightmarish vision of what reality TV could become if humanity became too dark
and broken. Also, there is the stance of the high-and-mighty looking down on
those who they feel they can control; this is a theme which makes the events in
the film anger-inducing to both the characters (because of the impact this has
on their world) and the audience (because of the real-life implications). This
commentary lends a depth and real verve to The
Hunger Games; this, coupled with the mostly excellent work from both the
cast and crew, make the film one of the strongest debuts for a YA franchise to
date.
Verdict and Rating
As a huge fan of the books, I can safely say that The Hunger Games is a grimly beautiful
adaptation which captures the spirit of the book whilst also expanding the
world in a way which feels inherently cinematic. The direction from Gary Ross
and writing from Ross and co-writer Billy Ray are at the forefront of capturing
a sense of verisimilitude which makes it much easier to become lost in this
world and to sympathise with the characters and their situation. The technical
work is mostly superb and the cast is tremendous across the board. Aside from
some unnecessary shaky-cam during the action, occasionally dodgy visual effects
and a few characters who get lost in the shuffle (the latter of which is more
frustrating because of how brilliantly the film expands on some characters
barely seen in the books), this is a fantastic intro to the world and
characters of Panem. And at the heart of the film’s success is the sensational
Jennifer Lawrence, who transforms Katniss into one of the best screen heroines
of the past few years. For this reviewer, both she and the film hit their
target.
4 out of 5
