The Hunger Games | Movie Review - Spirituality & Practice
Sixteen-year old Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) is the accountable provider for her family in the bad community known as Area 12. Her mom (Paula Malcomson) has never ever recuperated from the fatality of her hubby in a coal mining mishap, so it depends on Katniss to watch out for her more youthful sibling Primrose (Willow Guards). Katniss and her buddy Gale (Liam Hemsworth) slip outside the cable fencing bordering the area right into the timbers to search. Katniss is very accomplished with a bow-and-arrow, obtaining food for her family and additional money by selling video game on the black market in the area.
Seventy some years back, the areas of a nation called Panen revolted versus the "Capitol" where the abundant and the effective live. When they failed, an uncommon penalty was decided to advise them of the futility of resistance, while, allegedly knitting the nation with each other. Each year, there's a public "reaping" in the 12 areas throughout which 2 youths, one man and one female, are chosen as "tributes." They are brought to the Capitol, learnt fight, and sent out right into a field to combat until just one remains. These "Hunger Games" are explained in a propaganda movie as a "pageant of recognize, guts, and sacrifice" that are "how we remember our previous" and "how we protect our future." The occasion is broadcast on tv throughout the nation, a lot to the entertainment of the decadent and self-indulgent individuals of the Capitol.
Katniss and Prim attend the "Reaping Day" for the 74th Hunger Games. A lot to their discouragement, Prim's name is announced as the female homage for Area 12. Katniss instantly volunteers to take her place. Chosen as the man homage is Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), the baker's child. She keeps in mind that he gave her some bread when she was starving; he's had a trick crush on her for many years.
In the Capitol, these 2 bad young people are stunned by the affluence of the city. They are provided luxurious collections and fed delicious dishes in splendorous setups. Their companion, Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), simply assumes they'll find all this wonderful; she's a perfect instance of the Capitol's persuaded population with her commitment to the tyrannical Head of state (Donald Sutherland). Their coach, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), the just victor of the Games to find from Area 12, is supposed to trainer them on strategy as well as on the necessary public connections campaigning had to win "enrollers" that can send out them needed supplies once they remain in the field. But Haymitch is also a drunkard and not at first impressed with Katniss.
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She does have one ally and credible individual in Cinna (Lenny Kravitz), her stylist in charge of her physical transformation right into someone the group will remember and favor. He acknowledges and respects her independent mind, her credibility, and her guts in the face ofin the face of possible fatality.
The Games open up with a ceremony of the 24 tributes where Cinna's outfits for Katniss and Peeta stun the group. (Although we'd read the summaries of them in guide, they took our breath away too!) They are after that spoke with by star hold Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) that playthings with the participants while manipulating the feelings of the nationwide TV target market. Katniss does well, but it's Peeta that shocks everybody with an admission, making some sympathy.
After that after a couple of days of educating, the tributes are sent out right into the field. It appearances such as a field bordered by a woodland, but actually it's a carefully constructed phase that can be controlled to increase the stress and terror by the gamekeepers, consisting of Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley). The competitors is increased by the presence of the "Professions," tributes from the abundant areas that have been educating for this minute all their lives. One, Cato (Alexander Ludwig), is especially ruthless; he gathers an partnership of various other tributes to instantly pursue Katniss.
The Hunger Games is based upon the successful trilogy of young adult books by Suzanne Collins. It's understandable why followers of guides are so zealous about the personalities and the dystopia story. And they'll not be disappointed with the movie guided by Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit). This adrenaline-pumping dramatization of survival is one of the most engaging thriller since Character.
3 points make The Hunger Games so effective. First is the heroism of Katniss, whose self-reliance, supporting love, and survival abilities offer her well throughout her ordeal. Jennifer Lawrence gives an Academy Award-caliber efficiency as this delicate, wise, and merciful female. Her touching link with Rue, the youngest homage that coincides age as her sibling Prim, is a transforming point in the tale, both in the video game and in the areas where, many thanks to the video cams put throughout the field, an oppressed individuals follow her every move.
Second, The Hunger Games works because it provides a thought-provoking representation of the predicament of all teenagers residing in perilous times. That cannot empathize with young people facing uncertain futures? Granted, the Games stand for a severe circumstance, but because story are embedded classic teenager challenges: frustration with grownups, from Katniss's mother's weak point to Haymitch's drinking; the stress to earn a perception, to be likeable and attractive, to get ahead; the lack of privacy; the need to earn alliances, to decide that is genuine and that can be relied on.
3rd is the screenplay by Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins, and Billy Ray. Real to the design of classic dystopian books, it takes the warps and extras of present-day culture and jobs them right into the future where they can be seen more plainly. Panen is a culture improved fear and coercion. The Hunger Games are an scare tactics device that allows a bit of hope for the victor and his/her area while production certain that the vanguished acknowledge the limitless power of the authorities. The dualism of fear versus hope is mirrored in the sharp comparison in between the abundant of the Capitol and the bad of the areas. It does not take a lot imagination to see this as a forecast of today's worldwide chasm in between the 1% and the 99%.
The movie is also a review of the spiritual illness of those that are addicted to reality tv shows. They, such as the residents of the Capitol, love to watch individuals experience and humiliate each various other in the quest for success. Also even worse, is our dependency to physical violence, our gladiator society where those that can thoroughly trounce their challengers, whether in sporting activities or battle, are considered heroes. This unfortunate tale proves there's absolutely nothing redemptive about physical violence.
Hope is a favorable and powerful spiritual practice with the power to draw us through challenging times. "What oxygen is to the lungs," Swiss theologian Emil Bruner composed, "such is wish to the meaning of life." In the deeds and words of Katniss we see some of the merits that can stop the destructiveness of competitors and physical violence. She raises our spirits by showing what Ernest Hemingway once explained as "elegance under stress." We need wish to maintain our souls to life, and The Hunger Games provides a healing tonic for our times.
Unique features on the two-disc DVD consist of: "The Globe is Watching: Production of The Hunger Games" - an eight-part documentary covering the "production of" the movie in all aspects from the pre-production process completely through the staged launch and follower reactions; a featurette "Video game Manufacturer: Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games Phenomenom"; a featurette "Letters from the Increased Yard" - understandings from Donald Sutherland on the development of his role as Head of state Snow; a featurette "Managing the Games" - tales and ideas behind producing the control center; "A Discussion with Gary Ross and Elvis Mitchell"; a propaganda movie (in its entirety); and the Marketing Archive.