In Which Maggie Reviews the Hunger Games('s Audience)
The other day, VH1 asked me to do a review of the Hunger Games movie, which I did. Actually, the one that went live yesterday (read it here) is my second version of the review. I had to rewrite it because my first review that I dashed out, on re-read, was about the audience. When I confessed on Facebook that I'd had to throw out that first version, Facebook asked me if I'd post it here. So I will. But be warned, it's sort of bitter and opinionated.Below are my original, just-seen-the-movie, unedited thoughts:
__________________________________
I’m pleased that everyone in the world now knows what the Hunger Games is about because it spares me that awkward moment of trying to explain that it’s about kids killing kids on national television. Some people just can’t buy into the concept. “It’s too implausible,” they would always say. “Who would watch kids killing kids on TV?”
I want you to hold that thought.
Opening night. The ever-growing line to get in made my teen author heart glad. It was made up of people of every size, shape, color, age, and race. Somehow, this incredibly intelligent YA book, skewering America’s love of voyeurism (reality TV, tabloids, shock bloggers) had managed to speak to all of them. I felt warm in the general direction of all my fellow Americans.
It didn’t take me long to feel warm in the general direction of the movie, either. Yes, the content of the first book was edited to fit into two hours, but it was more cutting than altering, and the spirit of each scene was so vibrantly attuned to the text that it felt as if the director had reached inside my head and placed my thoughts onscreen. Insert deja vu here. About twenty minutes into the film, I realized I hadn’t spent even a second analyzing the film from the point of view of a non-reader.
Get yourself together, Stiefvater! I exhorted myself. You’re supposed to be reviewing this movie for VH1! NOW IS NO TIME FOR RABID FANGIRLING.
But it didn’t work. I can’t separate my experience as a reader from my experience as movie-goer. I can’t even tell you what I thought worked the best about this adaptation. The casting (Stanley Tucci as Caeser Flickerman was genius)? The sets (with the exception of the strangely imagined cornucopia, the poverty of District 12 and the opulence of the Capital were awesomely done)? The acting (I can’t describe how moving it was to see Katniss [Jennifer Lawrence] begin shaking right before entering the arena)?
Basically, this: I cannot imagine a reader being unhappy with this adaptation. It maintains the spirit of the original so well.
That disturbing question lurked, though: “who would watch kids killing kids?” I couldn’t forget, as I sat in that theater, that I was. I told myself it was different for viewers in America versus viewers in Panem. Because in America, in this theater, we knew what this movie was trying to say.
And then one of the tributes — the kids in the arena — was murdered. Though every kid onscreen was now a killer, this character was responsible for the death of one of the more sympathetic tributes, and she’d even seemed to enjoy it. Anyway, her neck got snapped.
Around me, the theater erupted in applause.
Applause.
As I sat there with my hands pressed into my thighs, that’s when I realized just how well the film makers had done their job. Like the Gamemaker, they’d carefully monitored audience perception of good and bad, success and failure. Through editing and music and selective storytelling, they made villains and heroes of twenty-four victims. They had exactly proved the scathing point of the book; that we glossy and well-cared for members of the Capital could be made to enjoy watching a teen die.
My verdict? It’s a crazy-good piece of film-making about the insanity of kids killing kids.
Who would watch something like that?
Turns out, I would. But I’m still not going to clap over it.
______________________
Since writing this first review, too, I've had several people tell me that the movie just wasn't violent enough. They would've preferred to see more gore in order to enjoy it. I don't think I have to embellish my previous review in order for anyone to know my thoughts on that.
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Jill
(new)
Mar 29, 2012 08:40AM
I can't imagine applauding when a teen was killed for any reason...reading the book or not. Wow! Very disappointing to hear.
reply
|
flag
That didn't happen in my theater fortunately but it's not suprising that it happened elsewhere unfortunately. The connection you just made to the Capitol blew my mind; really shows what a fantastic job they did of the movie.
Adding any more violence or gore would have changed the rating to R. Considering it is a hugely popular YA book, very few of those readers would have been able to see it. That includes my 13 and 10 year old who after reading the book were dying to see the movie. Given the context of the movie, I think the amount of violence was just right.
Hardly anyone was in the cinema when i went too see it on the opening night. However I thought it was fantastic!!
i loved it, it did miss some crucial parts in it though, like the night vision glasses? yeah, the whole part with rue was very short...
I did enjoy the movie and thought it was very well done without being too long. I did not appreciate all the racist comments that came after the movie was released about how after they found out Rue was black, they weren't as sad as they were when they pictured her black.
I'm glad that you've been able to put into words what I've been trying to explain to fellow cinema-goers over the past week! I was beginning to think I was the only person who didn't want more violence...
Olivia wrote: "i loved it, it did miss some crucial parts in it though, like the night vision glasses? yeah, the whole part with rue was very short..."Oh, yeah, you're right! The glasses! Hmmm...
Yeah, I was one of the people who longed for more gore. Ugh, I read the book, but I just did not feel the intensity of the actual killing in the movie. Like, it was not even emphasized much. Yes, the point of view is Katniss', but they should have added some sort of background as to where the other tributes were. For example, Cato. At the end, he just randomly came up. I mean, my opinion is that movies made from books should ALWAYS somehow try to tell what the story is to people who did not read the book. 'Cause there will be people who always did not read books. And yes. I was with my brothers when we watched the movie, and both of them did not read the book because they just do not do that. But I had to agree about Caesar Flickerman. :)
I loved the movie!!! I was actually surprised at how close it was to the book. I adored Caesar Flickerman!!! All in all, I freaking loved it!!!!!!!!
Loved the movie! :) :) Nobody clapped when people were killed at my theater though. It's disgusting that people in your theater did, Maggie.
I too loved the movie adaptation. And it was an adaptation vs a copy of the book put to screen, which was just as effective as the book was for setting the scene and telling the story. I think they probably could have left in more of Rue to add to the story. Also they seriously cut out the interaction between Katniss and Gale, which kind of made me think they wanted to cut out the 'triangle' that is in the books. There were a few other things that were cut out that carry on in future books (i.e. Peeta's leg) that should definitely not have been cut out but I do understand trying to keep things within a certain time frame. The movie was everything I expected, which left me pleasantly surprised and extremely happy.
They started clapping when a teenager was killed.........I can't even say how horrible I think that is. I'm glad nobody did that at my theater when I went to see it. I loved the movie by the way. Although if they would have kept longer with everything in there I still would have gone to see it.
Maggie, your review of The Hunger Games movie was spot-on. I too watched it last weekend (no one in that audience clapped). It was violent enough as is. Movie violence doesn't really bother me, but I CANNOT watch boxing or news footage of war-torn areas. Its so different when you know these are real people and that is real blood.
I enjoyed the movie, but wasn't blown away by it. It did stay true to the story, for the most part. But, I felt it lacked something during the actual games. It wasn't that it needed more blood and gore, really, but perhaps a little more attention to detail. As I watched it, I wondered to myself, where are the machines that come to pick the bodies up? Where was the sub plot with Gale? As someone mentioned before, what about the night goggles? I know it's incredibly difficult to cram a book into a movie and to do it well, but I felt like there could have been more to the games than a group of kids running through a wooded area with weapons that they seldom use. Once again, maybe not a need for more blood and gore, but perhaps a little more action. After all, the whole purpose of the hunger games is a "fight" for survival to the death. I did, however, LOVE their casting (especially Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci!). Each person filled their role wonderfully.
Originally, both when I read the book and later when I watched the movie, I was glad there was not too much violence - I could enjoy it without having to face anything too unpleasant and so pretend maybe it wasn't really that bad. But after reading your review, I feel uncomfortable with that idea and actually wish maybe it had shown a little more violence - not because that would be fun, but we are so used to seeing violence in the world that it is easily accepted - if it had been more graphic it would have been harder to stomach, and no one would want to applaud or feel glad ... (?)
Otherwise, I completely agree with the comment that it cuts rather than alters. I was surprised by how little was changed, but I was sad about things missing, like the lack of Madge. But, I could deal with that, it happens. The thing I missed most with all the cutting was the suffering - I mean, things were just sped up, particularly with Peeta's injury, and literally at the end with the coming of night and Cato's death and then the rising of the sun, I hardly had time to catch my breath let alone feel the suffering. In the book, being in the arena was hard, sometimes things happened slowly, but it created the tense atmosphere and made you feel how awful the situation was. Sadly, the time constraints of the movie meant it lost that feeling and, at least for me, made things seem a little too easy and convenient.
Great review! Do you know how many times I had to explain to my parents that the infanticide wasn't supposed to be a good thing? They heard "kids killing kids" from my aunty a couple of days before I saw the movie and they weren't going to let me go! Luckily, I convinced them, but when you say people actually applauded that killing... Makes me think maybe it is more dangerous than we thought.
Then again, no one ever applauded at the cinema I was in. Just lots of gasping, eye shielding and menacing remarks of encouragement whispered when katniss was about to serve it to someone horrible.
While the midnight audience I experienced did not applaud at the killings i was shocked to see several attendees arrived dressed as Capitol residents.There may have been some applause at the entrance parade and at the very end of the movie. We were all impressed by the adaptaion.
I was shocked at the oos and ahs elicited from the crowd when "home shots" of Gale came on the screen.
However, I did not feel any disconnect of feeling between the book and movie - having read all three books (which I do not think much of the audience had done) I knew where everything was leading and at the end my pashmina was damp with tears shed throughout the movie and I crawled into bed still crying over the horror and tragedy that occured and is to come.
I will not go to another midnight release though for the next movies. Being completely surrounded by a crowd that doesn't understand the oppression imposed by the Capitol...
Awesome review! That's sad that the audience broke out in applause! In my theater, they all gasped in surprise!
The only applause in our theater was as the end basically for the audience appreciation that the movie was everything we expected! Why would anyone applaud during a death scene! Our society is not downward spiraling anymore it has already crashed! so sad!
My audience talked and distracted me during the whole movie. Very disappointed-in the crowd, not the movie
Sitting in the theater amongst fellow fans, I realized I was surrounded by middle school girls squealing for Peeta. And I love Peeta, like a majority of the fans, however that was it for them. Yay team Peeta! When Thresh killed Clove, Cato snapped a tributes neck, at any violent moment, all of them would erupt in thunderous applause. My one thought:They've missed the point.
I couldn't hide my disappointment as I left the theater, not in the movie, but in the fans themselves who've missed what it was all about.
I am glad that the majority of the people in the 7:30 Saturday night showing was adults. In fact, I didn't see too many tweens or teens at the showing which I was dreading! I guess it is a sad commentary on younger society that they just don't get it the true point of the novels.
As Bob Dylan sang...these times they are a changing! :-(
I actually whipped my head around and held in a snide remark when one particularly infuriating fan girl shouted at the top of her lungs to "kill her, Thresh! Crush her skull!" She saved her praises for the end when they were plucked out of the arena but that had really set me off. When I watched it a second time, in my own town because I was no longer on vacation, the audience reacted as I would hope, silent, gasping and spewing tears for nearly every fallen tribute.
I mean, I'm only 15 but I'm hoping to become an author one day so I look for deeper meaning and such, but Ms. Collins didn't seem to think it important to hide the meaning. It was actually on the surface of the story, so I have to wonder why people my age and younger didn't catch on to it. When I talk to my friends about it, they tell me that they laughed when Cato snapped the kids neck, and I'm left with my mouth open. It's disappointing.
My thought Alia is this....your parents did a great job raising you! You know the difference between right and wrong and just from your thoughts on the actions of others your age you have not be de-sensitzed by video games or social media. Good for you for being human!
You evidently understand the meaning of the novels and they do not!
Your wise beyond your years and will do well in life!
:-)
Well, haha, I suppose the only thing to say to that is thank you! And I hope I do well, like you say. :D
Umm... Not to be picky, but the "good for you for being human" thing is kind of wrong. Humans still have violent primal instincts that can come into play when seeing murders and that sort of thing in movies and video games. Especially in the deaths of the careers, like Clove, because they were such... There are no words to describe how awful they were. It's like justice, even though it is a horrible and sick one. It doesn't necessarily mean wisdom, good morality or (definitely not) humanity to reject or not have those feelings and instincts.
No offense to Alia or anything. You're still a human! And it is kind of weird that your friends laughed when that douchebag Cato killed someone. They MIGHT not be human.
The movie was released in the UK with a 12A rating. That basically means anybody 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult to see it. They had to chop out seven seconds of the movie (blood splats) to get that rating, otherwise it would have been a 15 and they would have missed a huge chunk of thier audience. So the movie makers did a geat job balancing the violence. Personally, I thought the movie was awesome, one of the best book to movie franchises I've ever seen! And Maggie was right, i think it's more edit than change, which is how it should be.
Jess, when I meant being human I guess I should have meant having the mental capacity to know right from wrong and to realize even killing someone on the screen for sport and survival does not warrant kids in the theatre applauding!It was nice to see that Alia at her age got the true meaning of the novels and that she knows wrong from right.
I hope that clarifies my meaning.
I am not sure how old you are but for a 15 year old to recognize right from wrong in this day and age signifies to me a 44 year old adult woman that she is well adjusted and well balanced in her life.
Today's society is becoming a scary place day in and day out and by Alia even being disturbed by the actions of her fellow theatre goers who are her peers, just shows her level of common sense and maturity!
I agree with your point of the being human statement about their primal instinct. That is why I am clarifying!
:-)
Alia while you were surrounded with Peeta fans who didn't get the message; I was surrounded by Gale fans who didn't get the message. Everytime there was a shot of Gale ther were oos and ahs. All I could think was that they hadn't read Mockingjay yet to know taht Gale turned out to be more fighter than lover and his decisions (or help with certain plans) lead to Prim's death.Seems that insetad of saying "human" (since taht encompasses the primal to the humane) we should use "compassionate." It is my opinon that those that got the message of the books have compassionate souls (though I could be wrong there too). :)
Perfect! Compassionate! You hit the nail on the head! I agree that was the proper wording I should have used! :-) I love Goodreads folks!
Love your review. I saw a midnight showing on opening night and my theater erupted in applause when "fox face" died as well. That being said, they I heard and saw a lot of tears when Rue died and when Katniss kissed Peeta for the first time.
Marie wrote: "I enjoyed the movie, but wasn't blown away by it. It did stay true to the story, for the most part. But, I felt it lacked something during the actual games. It wasn't that it needed more blood a..."I agree. I mean there were many aspects that they captured brilliantly but there were things that I was looking forward to that hadn't been included and I am sure I wasnt the only one. An example is Haymitch's line: "You have as much charm as a dead slug."
Isabella wrote: "Marie wrote: "I enjoyed the movie, but wasn't blown away by it. It did stay true to the story, for the most part. But, I felt it lacked something during the actual games. It wasn't that it neede..."Yes, and how Katniss "found" the pin leaving the governor's daughter completely out of the film.
Maggie Stiefvater
I don't read blog comments here — it's a feed from my site at www.maggiestiefvater.com
...more
- Maggie Stiefvater's profile
- 171422 followers
