Sunday morning I went to the movies by myself and caught a bargain showing of The Hunger Games. This movie franchise is based upon the best selling series by Suzanne Collins. It is SF, it is aimed at young adults, and it is post-apocalyptic. Proceed only if you are unconcerned by a few spoilers.
In this dystopic future, a new political power has arisen on the North American continent, and after putting down a rebellion from a destroyed 13th province, the dictators of the the new government instituted The Hunger Games, where children 12 thru 18, both randomly selected and psychopathic volunteers, fight to the death in a grand area until a single survivor is crowned victor and rewarded with fame, fortunes, and Post-Traumatic Syndrome Disorder.
In district 12, clearly encompassingAppalachia and American coal country, Katniss Everdeen and her sister Prim are getting ready for the drawing that will determine district 12’s tributes to fight and die in the games. When Prim’s name is drawn, Katniss volunteers in her place. Then, along with Peeta, the male tribute from district 12 she travels to the Capital facing almost certain death.
This book and movie have been compared to the Japanese novel and book, Battle Royale, but I think such comparisons are misplaced. The only thing these two stories have in common is the concept of teenager battling each other to the death until only a single victor remains. In Battle Royale the tournament is used as a method of punishment for rebellious acts by teenagers in the past, hoping to scare the current crop into behaving, and an entire class is thrown into the battle. This preserves the dynamics of high school, with the cool kids, the nerds, the in-crowds and the outcasts, but now instead of battling for social standing they are battling for life itself. I watched that film recently and it didn’t work for me. The end was too contrived and violated the rules and tech already established. It would have been quite interesting had that scrip been in different hands, say someone like Joss Whedon who knows high school so well.
The proper comparison for the Hunger Games is the original movie, not the stupid remake, Rollerball. Here both films are about political power, the use of brutal gladiatorial games to maintain the power of the state, and the triumph of individual over the state.
I enjoyed the movie, but unlikely I will be adding it to my collection. Bargain price seemed about right to me.
I saw it Sunday also. I liked it, but I could have waited for it to get to television/cable. I found elements of Dragon Slayer, Logan’s Run, and Lord of the Flies. You are right about the Rollerball elements. It is worth seeing and I will read the books based on what I just saw.