The Hunger Games (2012), directed by Francis Lawrence, fit
the general formula for a dystopian society.
In an action packed saga the audience is taken through a world that is
clearly not in touch with reality.
Immediately the class segregation is understood and the story as to how
the districts became separated is revealed at the very start of the film. The Mocking Jay pin is immediately seen as a
symbol that will carry meaning of courage and hope through the entire
series. Even as Katniss looks down at
the dress she must wear to the reaping you can read the dread that appears
across her face. This dress holds
meaning in that it is to be worn to one of the worst days of her life. As the movie progresses it still sticks to
the formula of a dystopian society and the film is simply a visual entryway to
the storyline instead of the book that came before it.
After viewing this film through a critical eye in comparison
to other films it can be said that there was a clear barrier between the
audience and the action on the screen. The
inserted silence here and there too extend the tension and the constant use of
close ups made the film feel forced.
When Prim Rose was chosen originally as the female tribute of District
12 it was hard to respond emotionally. The
film quickly became more of entertainment than an emotional experience because
there was no investment in the experience of the audience. Meaning, this dystopian society is a
dystopian society because that was the only idea in mind. That was the purpose of the book and so that
was all that went into the movie; it remained strictly formulated.
Watching 1984 during the interrogation scene at the end,
with the rats in the cage, became horrifying and repulsive to think about. This is because the story unfolded itself and
became a journey for the audience to be a part of. This film was based upon truth and emotional
tension which happened to result in a dystopian plot. It was made with multiple complex layers in
mind and each layer held a different version of complexity making it authentic
and hard to reproduce. Yes, The Hunger
Games, along with other movies, recreated the general theme of dystopia but
because that was their only goal that is where the film starts and ends. With character development and presenting a
society more as a mystery, the audience can make their own opinions and attach
themselves to the film in a variety of ways.
There is room for growth and personal exploration throughout the entire
film.
Katniss was thrown into a horrible tragedy in and of itself
and had to find courage to survive. It
would have been interesting to get to know her more and have the chance to
really understand her world instead of being told from the start she lives in
chaos and injustice. Unfortunately, the film was lacking originality due to the fact that it did not expand past what would be expected of a typical film of this genre. Perhaps individual events were unique but the story overall was impersonal and cliche.
I find that films in
this millennium focus so much on instant gratification and pure entertainment
that they are lacking the richness, truth, emotion and authenticity within the
plot itself. Is cinema becoming film for
the sake of film?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blogs over the last 3 weeks. You've posed several good questions a viewer should ask about the film, stated the underlying themes, broke down the analysis of the film, and most importantly gave your own opinion. I completely agree on your blog of "The Hunger Games" and how there was a clear barrier between the audience and the action on scene. The tension did feel unnecessary and the close ups were okay I guess, but overall it felt like it was rushed. When you said when Prim got chosen to be in the games and Katniss takes her place, this whole scene feels rushed. It becomes more of an entertainment than a story about family. Seconds after she volunteers (to die) she's walking toward the stage as if nothing has happened. As if she's not leaving her young sister behind. You said it best, "there is no emotional connection in the film because there was no investment in the experience of the audience." The idea came across so much better in the book than it did in the movie (I've read all 3 books 3 times) and I felt like the movie was slow, and I didn't connect to it like the book. In most cases, that's the way it goes. Overall, good job :) I've enjoyed reading your opinions.
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