Hunger Games Review Essay

Submitted By ddtt0
Words: 796
Pages: 4
Open Document
Hunger games review
What a bitter disappointment! In order to explain what is missing from the film, please allow me to describe what I love about the books.

Suzanne Collins creates a moving portrayal of a girl living under a cruel dictatorship. Set against a background of extreme poverty, these books show how the unequal distribution of wealth affects Panem's society. Those living in the wealthy Capitol have so little in common with the destitute people from the Districts that they regard the deaths of District children as entertainment. The violence in The Hunger Games is shocking because it is brutal and unnecessary, yet wholly embraced- even celebrated- by Capitol residents. As for the District tributes, they are not enemies but they kill each other all the same, some reluctantly and others with enthusiasm. As the trilogy progresses, it becomes a compelling commentary on the madness of war and the sad futility of violence. However, these themes are woven into the books in such a way that you may not even notice they're being discussed. You become so immersed in Katniss's world that poverty is a given, and violence a sad but expected part of life.

The film follows the basic storyline but lacks emotional depth. The character development is almost nonexistent and the deaths in the arena are bloodless in every sense of the word. The tributes are little more than walking stereotypes so their deaths have no impact. Even Rue's death- heart-wrenching in the book- is little more than a side note in the movie. If I hadn't read the books, I don't think I would have understood the dynamic between the tributes at all, including the conflicted relationship between Katniss and Peeta. Their romance comes across as cheesy and unconvincing. There is no hint of the bond that grows between them as the story progresses.

Perhaps my biggest criticism of this movie is that no one seems to be going hungry! I cannot believe the filmmakers overlooked this important point. The Capitol's exploitation of the Districts is supposed to be the backdrop for the entire story. When Katniss arrives in the Capitol and observes how food appears at a touch of a button, she cannot understand how Capitol residents fill their time. The majority of her days are consumed with feeding her family. It defines her. Most of the tributes have never had enough to eat and this is a major factor in the Games.

The beginning of the movie seemed promising. The ominous mood in District 12 was just right. It is apparent that the people who live there are exhausted and resigned to their fate. When residents appear for the reaping, they look like cattle being rounded up for slaughter. The Capitol, in contrast, is frightening in it's frenetic artificiality. This juxtaposition was well-done. However, the filmmakers lost me when the tributes entered the arena.

There was no sense of tension. The tributes make all kinds of noise as they move
Show More

Related Documents: Hunger Games Review Essay

Literature Review On The Hunger Games

This article is about the novel. For other uses, see The Hunger Games (disambiguation). The Hunger Games North American first edition cover Author(s) Suzanne Collins Cover artist Tim O'Brien Country United States Language English Series The Hunger Games trilogy Genre(s) Adventure Dystopian Science fiction Action Publisher Scholastic Press Publication date September 14, 2008 Media type Print (hardcover, paperback) Pages 374 OCLC Number 181516677 LC Classification PZ7…

Words 3546 - Pages 15

Essay on the hunger games

Title The Hunger Games. Author Suzanne Collins Type Book Review Date 2/4/2012 The Hunger Games is a story about a group of districts in a nation that are controlled by an extremely wealthy elite group called The Capitol. The Capitol completely dominates over all districts and shows how powerful it is by demanding compulsory participation from all districts in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games is a reality show all about survival of the strongest. I think the theme…

Words 689 - Pages 3

Compare And Contrast Divergent And The Hunger Games

Critical Review The Hunger Games vs Divergent What's the secret to reaching someone with words? This is a question many writers ask themselves when writing. The answer may vary on who you ask. If you were to ask Veronica Roths or Susan Collins they might give you two different opinions. They might tell you that you need to base your writing on emotions or on memories because that is what reaches readers the most, because that is exactly what both of their novels do. Here let me give…

Words 418 - Pages 2

Essay on Review: The Da Vinci Code and Dan Brown

Teenage Reviews *POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERTS* The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown This book literally never ceases to amaze. I was enthralled reading this book. I read it cover to cover in a day and a half, give or take. The book follows mainly a man called Robert Langdon who is a religious symbolism expert from Harvard. He is called to the scene of a crime to find the meaning behind the symbols left at the scene, not knowing he is the main suspect of the crime. Agent Sophie Neveu fills him in on what he…

Words 686 - Pages 3

Culminating Essay ENG 2D1

Utilising her skill of survival, Collins portrays that alliances are essential during the Hunger Games, due to the fact that a person cannot survive on their own. One of the allies of Katniss received a spile – a metal peg – which is later used to find drinking water to help them stay alive (Catching Fire 239). The main character had to rely on her alliances to help her stay alive and overcome the challenges within the Games. Collins’ novel exemplifies the idea of how the skill of survival is an essential…

Words 860 - Pages 4

Catching Fire Essay

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire A few months after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games with Peeta Mellark, Katniss Everdeen, now 17, is adjusting to her new life of plenty after spending her entire childhood in poverty and hunger. Despite her family's lush new house in Victors' Village and the newfound wealth, Katniss still hunts in order to feed her friends. Her hunting partner and best friend Gale Hawthorne now works in the coal mines. They shared a single kiss, but she’s confused about their…

Words 1752 - Pages 8

Personal Narrative: The Maze Runner

Death Cure had earned a solid 8/10 for me. Later, I went on IMDB and looked at the rating. 6.3/10. Okay. Not everyone is a die hard fan, and it did have its flaws, so okay. I can see it getting a collective 6.3/10 stars. However, the highlighted review displayed a whopping 1/10…

Words 730 - Pages 3

Summary Of C. S. Lewis 'The Last Battle'

“The Last Battle,” by C.S. Lewis tells about where people go when they die. C.S. Lewis tells about a perfect Narnia and England where good people and animals go to. When learning that I would be reading two of the books from the Chronicles of Narnia series I automatically started looking for the books on CD. Myths are meant to be a narrative account (people.duke.edu). I felt that listening to the story helped me to visualize the story. It was especially helpful with hearing the accents of the different…

Words 404 - Pages 2

Preventing Childhood Obesity Final Draft Essay

obesity one must first know how it started. Childhood obesity occurs when a person consumes more food than their bodies need. For example: a child partakes in a relatively high calorie meal and proceeds to eat sweets then lye around playing video games instead of exercising it causes the child to build unwanted body fat. The reason why children are becoming obese is due to fast foods plus many other factors. These factors include social, physical and mental. An example of social and mental factors…

Words 2821 - Pages 12

Aiman Hamide Essay

When friends gather, the first question that’s usually thrown into circulation is “who’s hungry?” A social eater hand would probably be the first to touch the ceiling. Friends tend to indirectly peer pressure each other into playing sports or board games, but they can also tempt each other to try the restaurant newest dessert. Who can resist delicious apple pie or a brownie sundae? People with a sweet tooth cannot waste even the tiniest last bite of a dessert, so to save calories, try splitting a dessert…

Words 517 - Pages 3