The Bookworm Project

I finally was able to flip through Suzanne Collins' famous The Hunger Games which made into film months ago. After reading I contented myself with the movie again, scrutinizing every scene and line and character and emotion and setting the movie offers. Frustrated but more elated by the film I decided to blog about it.

The first thing I noticed was their odd names which sound Greek mythology-esque names or something I have no idea. The story takes place in the post-apocalyptic nation of Panem where was once the countries of North America before the destruction of continent's civilization. The Capitol is exceedingly wealthy and technologically advanced compared with Districts where citizens are starving to death, oppressed and impoverished. It was kinda queer to me how the Districts stay as poor and rural while the Capitol has all the power and capability aids by extremely advanced technology and indeed is very urbanized. Watching Katniss Everdeen hunt with her bow and arrow at the forest makes me think of the ancient way of living which is really strange because it was the other way around. Nonetheless, I can't help but to compare Katniss Everdeen and Bella Swan (whose both novels has their own movie adaptation) because they both speak in first person point of view. Unlike Bella, I came to like Katniss a lot. Her temper, independence, courage, shrewdness, personality--there is no reason for me to loathe Katniss while Bella is feeble, overdependent on her vampire lover, very fragile and emotional to the point of sappiness are all flinch-worthy in my viewpoint.

The Hunger Games reminds me of reality shows on television which viewers' sympathy and favor with the contestant/tribute are crucial. Big Brother for instance, should each housemate be likable and unforgettable enough for the people to love him/her and thus vote for him/her to win. Katniss and Peetah pretends that they are star-crossed lovers to appeal to television audience and gain plenty of sponsors who can send them gifts such as food, medicine and tool that are critical for their survival in the arena. Katniss also has a stylist, Cinna who resembles famous fashion stylists that clothe and make celebrities look their best. They say that The Hunger Games is a satire of reality television shows only the former is most savage, inhuman, ferocious and ruthless among the others.

Cinna, Haymitch and Peetah

It has three parts: The Tributes, The Games and The Victor. The third part is the most engrossing since it features the actual Games and the first part is somehow the most humdrum. The Hunger Games, since I haven't read Battle Royal yet, for me has a unique plot and charming well-developed characters. Though I have to say that the idea of another love triangle makes me sick. Enough of those sappy vampires and werewolves, all right.

The book is rich in details, vividly narrates how Katniss' father died while she was eleven and how she carries all the burden of feeding her family, how she bravely assumes the role of parent to her younger sister Primrose because their mother was immobilized by depression after their father's death, how starvation scourges their district and how she owes Peeta Mellark, baker's son (a young boy back then) who threw a loaf of bread at her feet when she was almost on the verge of hopelessness. The film lacks all those kinds of lucid narration and illustration. Some parts of the novel are excluded in the movie. Gale seems just have a little part in the film. Katniss' father teaching her how to hunt is omitted. Grease Sae and Katniss' pal Madge (who has given her the mockingjay pin which Katniss' used as a district's token) are out of the picture in the film. Peeta's father as well who was in love with Katniss' mother. Katniss tying herself up on the tree with her sleeping bag is omitted. Rue sleeping with her up on a tree with their sleeping bag is omitted. Rue chewing a medicinal leaves and putting it on Katniss' tracker jacker's bites is also omitted. Some insignificant parts are lost in the film as well as significant like how Peeta is badly sick Katniss needs to coax the sleep syrup into him that can sedate him so she can go to feast and fight to death just to get the right medicine for him. I waited for the hovercraft of the Capitol to retrieve the death bodies of tributes but it didn't occur. I anticipated to hear the anthem play but there was nil. The red haired Avox girl doesn't appear. The movie minimizes the kissing and romantic scenes.

I enjoy the movie though. It isn't that bad after all. The flow of the story is fast and engaging. Though you will appreciate the movie more if you already read the book. The movie summarizes the 374 pages story which you can read for about a day but can be watched for about only a couple of hours. The film doesn't ruin it altogether in fact fleshes out the characters perfectly through the faultless acting of both Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson and the rest of the casts.

All seriousness aside. I find this hilarious.

He's Peeta and we know it.