Since The Hunger Games trilogy of books was published in 2008, their fans—and a more than few Hollywood producers—have been salivating at the prospect of a blockbuster series a la the Twilight Saga. With a thrilling plot and teenage characters fighting each other to the death as part of a reality TV show, you can see that all the elements of a gripping story are there. The on-screen translation is a lot of action, but also a sharp critique of mankind’s hunger for tears, pain and even death— particularly when watching TV.
Writer Suzanne Collins has imagined a dystopian future where North America has been all but destroyed by apocalyptic wars and famines. Now organized as Panem, The Capital rules over 12 poorer districts.It prevents rebellions and entertains the masses by asking that each district supply it with two young adults, aged from 12-18 years old, to take part in the annual Hunger Games, a reality show that forces 24 contenders to do battle until there is only one left standing. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers herself to replace her younger sister Primrose (Willow Shields) when the tween is picked by the lottery draw. Katniss walks into the reality show with Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), another tribute from District 12. Their survival becomes a new, brutal twist on Romeo and Juliet as Peeta and Katniss are both opponents, yet find themselves increasingly drawn to each other.
We’re definitely reminded of Battle Royale, the Japanese novel that become a massive movie hit in Japan and created a huge buzz when it was released in 2000. Here too, there is that weird mix of shock and pleasure at watching a very sick television program. But Battle Royale was teenagers versus adults. Hunger Games is about a society divided by class. Morals and values are at their lowest point. The rich and the aristocracy are at their most decadent. The lower class is at its most vulnerable. These are always timely themes: greed, competitiveness, entertainment pandering to our lowest instincts… Hunger Games might not be the best action movie in terms of pyrotechnics, but it is one that made us think.