View from the Side: "The Hunger Games"

My Thoughts on the Movie 

“The Hunger Games” movie is an adaptation of the first of a trilogy best-selling books of Suzanne Collins. I completed reading all three books months before the showing of the first installment of the movie series. I am a fan of Katniss and Gale from the start, but it’s not the love story that caught my attention. I was particularly interested on the aspects of the political and social issues presented: the struggle of the poor and the oppressed for freedom of hunger; and the struggle of the politician to control the poor/oppressed to stay in power. This situation is not different from what the current reality of today.

Anyway, my intention in writing this blog is not to dwell on the content of the book, but just to provide a short contrast between the book and the movie. While I enjoyed watching the movie with my friends, I can’t help myself feeling frustrated that there are things that had been omitted or given less significance that I believed are critical in shaping the whole story.

• The origin of the mockingjay pin is certainly not correct. In the book, it was given to Katniss by Madge (whose character was not even mentioned in the movie). The mockingjays are important symbols in all three books. It is a secret sign that a fight for freedom from the Capitol is still alive. The movie downplays the importance of the mockingjay pin i.e., Rue believed that she could trust Katniss seeing her wearing the pin; Cinna exerting extra efforts to help Katniss because of the pin, etc. 
• The avox girls were not around, they were the symbols of the cruelty of the Capitol and they had helped Katniss; 
• The three (3) finger salute is unique to District 12; 
• The “bread scene” from District 11 was totally omitted, but this is critical in the succeeding books; 
• The duration of the game was 2 weeks only. In the book, as long as it takes;
• The movie rushed some scenes from books 2 and 3: President Snow in his rose garden; the riots breaking out; and the cruel death of Crane; 
• The ending of the movie was not as intense in the book. I was expecting the scene that shows how much the game had affected Katniss emotionally and mentally. In the book, Katniss and Peeta were as good as dead when they were declared winner. They had to undergo physical, mental and emotional rehabilitation before they were allowed to go home. This situation will later impact greatly their succeeding lives in the next two books. 

Despite the shortcomings of the movie, I was impressed with the performance of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss. Her famous role as to date is "Ree Dolly" in Winter's Bone. She has also played in X-Men movie – First Class. Woody Harrellson as Haymitch played the character well. I was a little disappointed with the portrayal of the characters of Gale and Peeta. I was expecting more of Peeta, since he has important role to play in the ensuing 2 books. 

Well, I just hope that the next adaptation movies will still stir my interest. Let the game begins… MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR!