The Hunger Games

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)

Another book phenomenon of our generation translated to the screen, I was surprisingly impressed. Unlike the fantasy sagas of The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter, I hadn't read the source material, so I had little idea of the story, which I only knew from the trailers. What is most interesting about the film, or rather the book, is that the driving element is the teenagers, but they are often fighting for their lives with more vigor than most adults. The first half of the film was kind of dry and plodding, but once all the Repayers were unleashed into the life or death arena, the plot began to pick up and the tension gradually began to build and thicken. The very first bloody battle for guns, food and survival items was really rough, in fact I was quite curious to see what it would look like when teenage kids would be "soaping up" in the film. Plus, Jennifer Lawrence is quite a looker, I first noticed her in Winter's Bone, where she was one of the film's main assets. In short, a film that may not be to everyone's taste, but I was pleasantly surprised by it, and besides the premise, I would also like to highlight the colourful costumes and make-up of the characters, and the nice musical score (06/09/2013)

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)

Unpretentious and ego-laden entertainment for a teen audience that doesn't give a damn about what Battle Royale is and how much the success of a great theme depends on all other aspects of filmmaking. The Hunger Games is not that badly made, it has a few bright moments and above all it boasts an excellent Jennifer Lawrence, who in the Japanese original was sorely missed in the flood of Asian faces, but regardless of how good and fun it is, this nothing more than another overblown bubble under the Hollywood banner, which, although it ensures prestige and money, can also overshadow even the best subject with a wave of pathos and American heroism. While Battle Royale was a bold and creative satire that couldn't be taken entirely seriously, The Hunger Games pretends to be a modern stylized sci-fi with a serious idea of a totalitarian future, but its potential ends exactly where it begins: with the premise. The film holds together really only thanks to the believable and very pleasant chemistry between the two leading actors. I’m certainly not disappointed, but that's only because I expected a similar result in advance. 60% (10/06/2013)

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)