The Hunger Games film review Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games opens in District 12 of a dystopian future state in which this year's contenders for the 'games' - in which a man and a woman from each of the Districts are 'reaped' (a lottery) as 'tributes' (contestants) - become Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson, the child actor in such films as Zathura and The Kids Are All Right). The two are taken to a more affluent part of the world where Katniss - torn from protecting her younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) - and Peeta - who soon admits his love for Katniss on live TV - are made to train and to cultivate 'sponsors' before the 'games' by appearing in stunts on fire, on Caesar Flickerman's (Stanley Tucci) show and in front of Seneca Crane's (Wes Bentley) acquaintances. Inevitably, the 'games' begin, and strength, stamina and relationships are put to the test in the ultimate game of state-subsidised survival. Only one can win the pride of their District; only one will survive. Not only are they pitted against one another, but cantankerous Seneca Crane contrives obsticals for them, too, for seemingly no reason. Also, while we're on the particulars of the film, frequent references are made to a couple from the same District being "star-crossed lovers"; but they're not star-crossed, they're from the same bloody 'star'. It reminded me at once of the game in Battle Royale; the peculiar purple-clad mistress of District 12 (Effie Trinket, Elizabeth Banks) of the mother in Brazil (Ida Lowery, Katherine Helmond); and the depressive pallet of 1984 which is mixed with a Roman Empire meets Starfleet Academy aesthetic (in some scenes), disrupted by the scenes spent outside in the forest and cross cut with the blue and chrome rooms which science fiction set designers seem bound to employ by proxy nowadays. What all of these films and TV shows have in common is their dystopic themes; in The Hunger Games's case, perhaps a parallel is being attempted between the sacrifice that capitalism makes of individuality and (arguably) of good taste with the explicit violence and violation that the 'game' demands. Perhaps also is a parallel between 'civilisation' and barbarianism is being ironically spun; the suggestion that for all man's gilding, he cannot quite conceal the ordinary material of which he is irrevocably made (to paraphrase Louisa May Alcott). This interpretation would be exacerbated by the vast crowd's appreciation of primal fire, saying something about nature's penetrating resonation through all the high rises and glass-clad contraptions of modernity. Further, there is perhaps a play on the Myth of Sisyphus: exemplified by the #quote, "hope is the only thing stronger than fear" (spoken by President Snow, Donald Sutherland) which can be applied both to those within the game - which, as we have already expounded, may itself be a metaphor for capitalism or indeed #life itself - and society in general, perhaps The Hunger Games is making a comment on the perpetually unfulfilled human condition, the futility of a godless #life whose death severs all connection with this one and only realm, the uselessness of 'it all'. Unfortunately, however, I feel that those things were probably not intentional within the film, that they are contrivances of my bored and wandering mind, resentfully affixed to a seat for two hours seven. The film is far too long to be tense; this is exemplified in the countdown which does from around 45(!) rather than the standard 10 seconds. With the monotony of the voice which pronounces each number in reverse order and the cross cutting between contenders, the implicit threat is lost and subsequent explosion of violence has lost its relevance. If you want a quasi-Aztecan sacrificial thriller, watch Battle Royale, or read some Richard Bachman (particularly The Long Walk), or write your own for god sake - but don't watch The Hunger Games, for it is a poor attempt at a none-too complicated sub-genre of thriller and whose contribution to the aforementioned genre is negligible. BBFC 12A Taken from my blog: matthewhurstfilm.blogspot..co.uk