The Hunger Games (2012) || Survival is Winning

Ever watched a movie so intriguing yet disturbing because of its intense violence? Well, The Hunger Games is that movie. Directed by Gary Ross and based on a novel by Suzanne Collins, it runs for 142 minutes. Trust me, those minutes will have you sitting on the edge of your couch while trying to balance the rate at which your heart beats.

Synopsis

A nation called Panem has twelve districts, and every year, each district must provide two people, a boy and a girl, to participate in the Hunger Games, which is watched by everyone in all of the districts.

For the 74th Hunger Games, the people are gathered and chosen by lot who will go to the games. Sadly, Primrose, the twelve-year-old sister of Katniss Everdeen, is chosen to go alongside a boy, Peeta. Katniss, protective and scared that her sister is too young, volunteers to go instead.

The Hunger Games is an event that came into existence to keep the provinces in check as a punishment for their uprising. Here, two tributes are chosen from each of the twelve districts of Panem to fight to the death, until a lone victor remains and is crowned winner.

The game is tough, and every participant must fight for survival using the tactics and skills they learned before the game kick-started. Katniss, who had promised her sister to win, faces challenges, and the toughest of them is that she has to kill the one guy who likes her and whom she likes as well. Will she kill him and win, or will they commit suicide and beat the hosts at their own game?

My Review and Rating

One thing I admire about this film is its setting and scenery. I love movies that are set in dystopian societies.

Inasmuch as the happenings in the film are cruel and very violent, I enjoyed the scenery and the survival instinct of Katniss. She stood out completely in the film, devouring her role and giving beauty to the rest of the characters.

At first, the storyline almost looked like that of Squid Game, but I think I'd pick this one over Squid Game; this judgment is subjective, and that's because the lead character is female. Plus, the softness yet firmness and determination that emanates from her personality is admirable.

Another thing I love so much about the film is the suspense I felt as the characters tried to survive. The violence in this film, in my opinion, is at its peak and isn't suitable for younger viewers. I shrieked at the sight of blood, and it got worse when a twelve-year-old, who had no one to volunteer for her like Katniss did for her sister, was killed in the game. Katniss had tried to protect her, but sadly, she couldn't protect her for too long.

One upsetting thing about the film is the young children, around twelve years old, who were forcefully picked to join the Hunger Games. That was absolutely too much for me to take in psychologically.

I really want to get a hold of a copy of the novel this film was based on so I can compare the actions and weigh the violence.

All in all, I'd rate it a solid 4.5/5. It offers a cinematic experience with a great storyline and visually pleasing cinematography. I also heard it's the first installment in the Hunger Games series, so I'm looking forward to watching the other installments with hopes that they're just as good.