The Hunger Games

Twilight for fifteen year-old intellectuals, and I don’t mean it as bad as it may sound. Hunger Games is for the same age group as that other rubbish, but at least it tries (and in the book maybe successfully, I don’t know, can’t judge, didn’t read it) to deliver some social criticism, it’s also about a lot more than whether some unstable idiot will take a vampire or a werewolf as her lover, and the motivations of the protagonists are much deeper. As an undemanding blockbuster, it’s pretty good, it looks quite nice (given the low budget), and the art design of the Capitol and its inhabitants was captivating. The most interesting themes, though, are only sketched out, but maybe the upcoming sequels will manage to complete them, I’m curious. What bothered me the most was the unrealistic behaviour of the characters in the Arena and the fact that I didn’t understand at all how the institution of the Hunger Games is supposed to help the Capitol rule the other regions. The film is not great by any means, but it was decent fun. Jennifer Lawrence is brilliant. 7/10 (28/03/2012)

I didn't expect anything at all, and yet the film surprised me quite a bit. Anyone who starts talking about artificial romance completely missed the point and reading their reviews is a waste of time because they won't be objective. Hunger Games is a game, or rather a romance only on the surface, just like society today (or most of it), which this film criticises in a rather sophisticated way. It starts with the same system as the Hunger Games (a tribute to wars), through pathetic wishes for happiness, appalling (intentionally, for God's sake!) costumes, so criticising the film for that is probably the same as being upset that you're not hungry anymore after eating. As far as philosophy is concerned, I don't really have anything to criticise. Technically, the film is quite decent (the visuals of the city, the sets, etc.). The only slight issue arises during the actual game. Some things seemed a bit half-hearted and sometimes the viewer gets lost in what is meant to be taken seriously and what is just a wink. I won't dwell on the handheld camera, nor the quite inconsistent action scenes (sometimes naturalistic, other times "veiled"). Gary Ross seems be a much more captivating storyteller and philosopher than a technician and director of action scenes. I mustn't forget Jennifer Lawrence, who shines as the modern-day heroine and will one day replace Kate Beckinsale, Milla Jovovich, and other tough chicks, and she to be a much better actress too. Hunger Games is definitely not for classics and narrow minds. I don't quite understand the huge profits because I expected most people would not appreciate the content (which I assume has happened), but apparently, that doesn't prevent it from being a film experience, although perhaps a slightly different one. (02/04/2012)

The Hunger Games is another of those interesting fantasy book series that got adapted into a Hollywood movie. I was quite reluctant to see this. Even though I like fantasy films very much, I never know what to expect from them, and what I’ve seen lately was mostly so mediocre that it made me sad. But in the end, I made time for The Hunger Games one Sunday afternoon. I chose Sunday because the film has almost three hours. A film of this length must inevitably have some balls to grab my attention and keep me from falling asleep. The first half an hour was an introduction to the fantasy world in question. There was nothing much going on, but it served its purpose. Nevertheless, at the moment the titular hunger games kicked off, I started to enjoy the movie very much. I found the premise really intriguing, and the way this movie was shot is also not exactly ordinary. The story is quite realistic, with a lot of food for thought. And I must say that even though I felt kind of skeptical about this fantasy world at first, over time I grew fond of it and I began to wonder what the creators – and the source book – have in store for us next time. So yes, I must say that there is something about this world. The execution is also well-done, so the remaining two and half hours passed in the blink of an eye. I was satisfied with the result, and now I’m curious about the sequel. (13/12/2013)

The idea for the book just spontaneously came to the author’s mind and most certainly wasn’t inspired by the Japanese Batoru rowaiaru (2000). Well, let's just say I’m not buying it. I'm going to rudely assume it was a standard American rip-off, just with added bombast, a play on emotions, and a moronic plot. Even if the Americans had set fire to all twenty-four athletes, they couldn't have put together a pair of characters that would entertain me as much as the Japanese duo, Pot lid and Binoculars. Those of you who know something about me must have known that I wasn’t going to be happy with the casting of the lead. Jennifer Lawrence does have something going for her; after all, she is one of the world's top actresses regarding "leaked" photos and videos. There’s no denying that. I just think she should take up poker instead of acting. Her constant unreadable expression can compete even with the likes of Ben Affleck or Mickey Rourke. However, the latter helped himself to it surgically, which disqualifies him in my eyes. The film didn’t start off looking entirely bad, but as time went on, my hopes started to fade, only to vanish completely. The film was made to look like it was about the right values, but actually, it just wasted over two hours on yet another story about a love triangle that teens and American housewives just can’t get enough of. / Lesson learned: Never eat alone and don’t be the first one to eat in a group. (08/09/2022)

The Hunger Games, or dystopia for teenagers, utilizes the concept of fighting in an arena, which has been used many times in literature and film. You shouldn't expect any deeper psychology or convincing portrayal of society, but who would expect that from a Hollywood production of this kind anyway? The level of violence is adjusted to the target audience, so anyone expecting uncompromising, gritty action will inevitably be disappointed. However, considering the target segment of the audience, the film works decently on an emotional level, skillfully playing with sentiment, and the relationship triangle between the adolescent protagonists is relatively solid. The cast greatly helps the film, with young stars led by the charismatic Jennifer Lawrence delivering their performances reliably. On the other hand, the depiction of the social elite from the Capitol feels cliché, resembling an unwanted parody of American television show business mixed with a drug-induced trip by a film costume designer. Although I am far from being the target audience, I would probably lean towards giving the film 3 stars, if it weren't for the chaotic editing that significantly drags down the film, especially in the more action-packed scenes. Overall impression: 45%. (31/01/2022)