The Hunger Games

Directed by: Gary Ross

Written by: Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, Billy Ray (screenplay); Suzanne Collins (novel)









An adaptation of the hit YA distopian novel, featuring just about as many stars (and up-and-coming stars) as could be crammed into a modern feature-length film.

Overall, it was a pretty well-made adaptation.  In fact, some of the criticism has been that it was too close of an adaptation and lacked any originality.  I agree, to an extent.  The visual-effects were very loyal to the way everything was described in the novel, revealing things basically the way everyone imagined them.  It might have been nice to see a little creative license taken with some of the way things were presented or perhaps in the way the story unfolded.

There were a few kinks in the novel-to-film transition: mainly, a few things were glossed over or awkwardly inserted.  The stand-out example of this was the "tracker-jacker" explanation - the regular narrative stopped, pulled back to a sports commentary style to explain what the insects were, and then returned back into the regular narrative.

I enjoyed this movie very much.  But I'm not sure if I actually enjoyed it, or if I liked the original "Hunger Games" concept.

Mockingjay

Written by: Suzanne Collins

Depending on who you ask, "Mockingjay" is either the worst book of the series or absolutely amazing. I tend to fall in line with the latter.

And, please be warned, there have been spoilers lurking these paragraphs ahead.

After being dramatically rescued from the nasty Quarter Quell edition of the Hunger Games, Katniss finds herself part of the rebellion against the Capitol. Unfortunately, in the chaos of the rescue, her sometime-lover Peeta was left behind and is now a prisoner of the Capitol. Katniss struggles to find her place as part of the rebellion: she is important as a symbol and a figurehead, but President Coin of the rebellion is wary of giving Katniss too much power. As the rebellion begins its final assault on the Capitol, she struggles to keep herself and her family safe while also leading the way to a better, brighter future for all.

I think most of the criticism of this book stems from the fact that this book is, by far, the most cerebral of the novels in the series. This time, we spend a significant amount of inside Katniss's mind, in place of the action which dominated the earlier books. Katniss is a much weaker character in this book; she has been broken and beaten down too many times. Rather than driving the action of the plot forward, she is much more of a passive observer (especially in the early part of the book). She spends much more time thinking "deep thoughts" about the nature of abstractions like power and violence, good and evil (and, yes, a few moments thinking about Gale/Peeta dilemma). It is not until the final few scenes that the strong-willed Katniss returns.

This departure from the standard established in the first two books is a turn-off point for many readers, who were hungry (pun intended) for more of what they got before. I actually appreciated this change, though. It always felt like there were bigger philosophical issues hidden underneath the plot, but that those issues were always neglected in favor of keeping the story moving forward. But, if Katniss were as intelligent as she showed herself to be, these things must have crossed her mind at some point, and, finally, in this book, we get the chance to get her opinion.

I appreciate the fact that, when the assault on the Capitol begins, the action of this book is strikingly different than the last two. Whereas the first two books took place in the Hunger Games arenas and the violence was mostly limited to participants, the violence in this book takes place in cities and pretty much everyone is a fair target. (And, trust me, there are a few surprises as to who gets hurt and / or killed in this book.)

I will say that I was slgihtly disappointed in the "Epilogue." Frankly, I didn't need it. I've voiced my opinion about these types of "gift wrap" endings before to anyone who would listen. I can't stand it when the author (or screenwriter, or director, or whomever) decides that the audience needs everything spelled out and resolved for them. Granted, I appreciate that not everything worked out perfectly for the characters: Katniss and Peeta are both ruined human beings, and several key figures are dead. So, I don't hate this ending as much as I usually hate endings like this, but I'm not terribly happy with it either.

Overall, the entire "Hunger Games" trilogy was a decent read, and I'd generally recommend it. Anyone going into it should realize that the series is not "classic literature." That being said, the books are fun to read, and well written enough to hook readers in with lots of twists and cliffhangers.

Catching Fire

Written by: Suzanne Collins

This second book in the "Hunger Games" trilogy picks up, almost literally, where the first book left off.

Katniss has returned to her home in District 12, survivor of the brutal Hunger Games. But there are rumors of uprisings in other districts inspired by her acts of defiance against the cruel Capitol. President Snow puts pressure on Katniss to smooth things over. But when she fails to do so, he uses his power to call Katniss for the extra-brutal "Quarter Quell" edition of the Hunger Games. How will she fare against in another game of life-or-death against other Hunger Games survivors? And will she be able to survive now that President Snow needs her dead in order to retain control of the dissenting districts?

I'm not going to lie - I was very disappointed in this book. To be honest (and, hey - spoilers ahead), most of this book is a re-hashing of the first book. First, there are the constant reflections and reminders of what happened in the first book. Then, there is literally another edition of the Hunger Games. Granted, there are a few twists, but it felt very derivative of the original. Never before has a sequel felt so directly reliant on the original.

To continue piling on the negatives: The romantic triangle dilemma that Katniss finds herself in, caught between Peeta and Gale. Honestly, neither of the male characters have much definition, and there's no clear reason to pick one over the other. Rather, Peeta and Gale seem to be slightly altered mirror images of each other. A role of the dice could make the decision, and would probably be the best strategy.

Once you get through all the negatives, though, there's a skeleton of a good novel here. As soon as the Quarter Quell begins, the story becomes filled with action - and so takes off. Collins should stick with the action sequences, as Katniss's internal struggles merely bog the novel down.

Honestly, I felt this novel was just filler material between the first novel and the conclusion. I'm not sure how much it added to the story material. The twist conclusion - which, by far, was the best part - felt somewhat like an excuse to get Katniss from Point A to Point C.

The Hunger Games

Written by: Suzanne Collins

It's rare that a book recommendation from my students actually lives up to the hype they establish for it. But, I have to say that "The Hunger Games" turned out to be more than worthy of its reputation.

Set in a dystopian future (as many "young adult" novels are), Katniss Everdeen is your average teenager in District 12 struggling to keep her fatherless family fed. But the annual Hunger Games put on by the domineering Capitol rip Katniss from her family and friends and force her into a literal game of life-and-death with only Peeta - a baker's son - as an ally. Will Katniss emerge victorious? Or will she become merely another casualty claimed by the Hunger Games?

For a young adult novel, this book is pretty darned good. It takes about sixty pages for the plot to gather much steam, but once it takes off it becomes hard to put down.

Without any intent of condescension toward young adult literature, it's important to keep in mind that this book is essentially a teen book. But it's a good teen book. Whereas the "Twilight" books often aim towards the lowest common denominator and veer off into cheesy drama and romance, I felt like "The Hunger Games" picked a higher target and hit the mark. Although there is a minor love-triangle storyline, the book focuses much more on its strength - the action-packed battle-royale.

I found Katniss to be an interesting character. She manages to stride a fine line between her femininity (compassion, affection) and her masculinity (aggressiveness, brutality). Simultaneously she is likable and strong while also flawed and powerless. Her confusion and frustration with her powerlessness in life effectively mirror and detail the same confusions and frustrations of adolescents.

I won't go on-and-on here. I recommend the book, as long as you know what you're getting into. It's not often that I praise a book like this, but in this case I feel it's earned.