The Hunger Games

Fantasy is my forte, so when The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was translated into film I finally decided to see what the hoopla was about. The movie, which follows book one in a trilogy, tells the tale of Katniss Everdeen, a young woman living in district 12 of a sort of post-apocalyptic America, in a country now referred to as Panem. The Capitol governs this country, and the people living without the Capitol dwell in relatively squalid conditions nearly void of technology or innovation. The Capitol, however, is replete with such fare, and was the force that quelled a rebellion years ago with the resulting peace creating the segregated districts that exist only to service the Capitol with goods and entertainment.

Therein comes the premise for The Hunger Games. As a reminder of the authority that the Capitol possesses they have enacted a yearly spectacle entitled the Hunger Games. Two youths, male and female from each district, are drafted to enter this "game" where survival is the only genuine rule. The youths are from twelve to eighteen years of age, and it is conducted yearly as a constant reminder of the rebellion and the mercy of the Capitol; presumably that they did not simply destroy the rebels outright. Apparently, the reason for its bizarre name is derived from the supplications made by the districts for food. The more times a family applies for food assistance, so to speak, the more times the names of the children are entered into the drawing each year.

Katniss, and her male counterpart Peeta, are drafted (Katniss actually volunteers for reasons I will not divulge) and are escorted to the Capitol, where they receive the adulation of the bloodthirsty masses while they are prepared to enter the massive arena where the "games" take place. What follows can only be described as a sad spectacle of desperation and debauchery as children kill children for the chance to come out of the games alive, and the infamy that comes with being the lone survivor. Katniss is then pressed to decide to what extent she is willing to go to preserve her own life, and how far she's willing to be changed for the pleasure of the viewing audience.

I took away the notion that The Hunger Games was a dark outlook on society, our society, and its preoccupation with ease and entertainment. It also revealed a society lulled into a moral paralysis as horrible things are done to children while many idly stand by to watch; others have wholly succumbed and enjoy the "show" each generation of children gives. The story may also subtly mock at the powers that be and question our sluggish society as to how much the public will endure so long as creature comforts remain intact. All in all I thought the film was intriguing and well told, but given the premise and the nature of the movie "entertaining" is not a word I would use to describe The Hunger Games.