So now it’s official. Jennifer Lawrence, the new Mystique in X-Men First Class, is going to play Katness Everdeen in the Hunger Games movie adapted and directed by Gary Ross (pleasantville, screenwriter of Big). Jennifer Lawrence is 20, looks 18 and is playing a 14-year-old girl (unless that’s changed in the movie).
I actually like this change because I would have a similar response like I did to Hit-Girl in Kick-Ass. It’s one thing to read an abstract book, another to see an actual child actively killing as they do in the book. But what I really like about this is that it signals to me that Ross is going to try to make sense of this world both visually and philosophically. The book left a lot of loose ends that really made little sense. Ross knows how to take interesting concepts and give it weight of realism.
But what about the purists (and you know who you are)? What do you think of the changes?
Katniss is sixteen in the first book, seventeen by the third.
I understand them casting someone older, what with the strictness of child labor laws. I haven’t seen any of her work yet, so I can’t say “UGH I HATE HER” or “YAY SO AWESOME” with any confidence. (I do want to see Winter’s Bone, though–I’ve heard good things. And it apparently also takes place in Appalachia, so she can do the accent.) I’m a little disappointed that they cast someone who looked more like the descriptions of the upper-class people in District 12 (blonde, light-skinned) when Katniss is supposed to resemble her lower-class miner father (dark hair, “olive” skin) but I’m used to being disappointed in that department.
I’m interested in seeing what of the violence and bleakness of the books gets toned down for the movie, since I doubt they’ll want to make it any more than a PG-13 here in the States. And I’m interested in seeing how they handle the internal vs. external parts of the story, since so much of it involved Katniss’ thoughts vs. what she tried to actually project for the cameras.
It’s Katniss Everdeen versus Snow White this summer*. Get ready to rumble! (*March/June premieres)
I’m already down as a rabid Winter’s Bone fan so, no surprise here, I’m hopeful Lawrence will kick Stewart’s shiny Alice in Wonderland armor in the box office. My only grudge is a years long annoyance with seeing Twilight books dominate retail store bookshelf space and Kristen Stewart’s trademark soulfully sour/dour expression on everything from school supplies and bubble gum to toys.
This looks like a faithful straight up adaptation. Which is wise since the Hero’s Journey structure, nor the bleak tone, of the story isn’t amenable to over-creative Hollywood reinvention using the trending cliches of the moment, like, um, sexing up Snow White. But I’m baffled why Gale says, “They just want a good show, that’s all they want” when in the book he desperately advises her she must find a bow to survive and how the process of killing people is not so very different than hunting game.
The clear danger here is watering down Collin’s dark and gritty post-America world and by doing so dismantle the legitimacy of the heroine’s struggle. I’d like to think this frightening future strongly resonates with young people, none of whom expect to receive social security upon retirement, as much as Gale/Peeta/Niss ship. Well, okay, maybe not after looking around the internets. Yes, judging by the chorus of internet squeeeaaaals, this may end up becoming Lionsgate’s second highest earning film ever. Michael Moore’s doc did $220 million.
And it’s science fiction! Are we at long last emerging from the valley of the shadow of sexy emo vampires?
I saw the movie, never read the book (and don’t plan to. I have too many books in my to-read pile already). I thought the movie was VERY well done. It stirred a lot of emotions, from disgust to joy and everything in between.
saw it Saturday, I really enjoyed it (I haven’t read the book)
from what I can tell almost everyone who hasn’t read the book has really liked it, and the majority of people who have read it also really liked it, but there’s always the ‘the book is better!!!’ crowd, but considering the movie was 2 and a half hours long I don’t blame them for apparently going past some sections fast
and like I said while I haven’t read the book I can tell it wasn’t butchered like the last 3 Harry Potter movies were
however I’ve now picked up the second in the series for my Kindle and can’t wait, seems like a really interesting world
A couple questions I have, I was hoping someone who did read the book could answer me (spoilers obviously)
Okay so when Rue dies, number one was the guy that started the riot suppose to be her father? Also the other guy from her District in the games, was he suppose to be her brother or relative? I only ask because he seemed really upset by her dying which seemed odd to me since he wasn’t grouping up with her at all
small things in the overall story but idk it just stuck with me for some reason
I also question the whole age of the combatants thing (its…12 to 17 I believe right?) not the whole morality of the thing…but just in terms of entertainment if they want good fights what exactly is the point of putting 12 year olds in? having a 15-17 range would make for much better fights (seriously how long would have Katniss’ sister lasted if she hadn’t taken her place…about 30 seconds?)
I loved lovedloved that part, the riot reaction. And it wasn’t in the book. I’m assuming the instigator was her father. Is that a reasonable assumption?
In the book, the other guy from Rue’s District was a different kind of character. He was a simpleton, a hulking manchild like Lennie in Grapes of Wrath. In the book, his reaction is less, “You killed her?!” and more like, “Where little girl? You hurt little girl?”
In the book, there’s no backstory between Rue and the other tribute, but she is likable, and apparently, she was nice to him, and he liked her, whether it was the result of some relation, bond, or simple District tribal loyalty. I got the impression it was the first and last one, no relation. In fact, now that I think about it, he doesn’t seem to know her name; he just refers to her as “little girl” or something like that.
The book is ambiguous about race and ethnicity. As translated to the big screen, the Panem society is white-dominated, but it’s still a bit of a melting pot, to reflect American society some.
Here’s my take on the movie version:
The way they cast the movie, if I recall correctly, there are only two black men with significant speaking roles. One is Lenny Kravitz as Cinna, who is compelling, but, being true to the character, is not, shall we say, the most dominant kind of character.
I liked how they handled it in the book, but I can see why they might have changed it for the movie. If there were three black guys in the movie, and the supposed father was a ball of rage (albeit an amazing, righteous, and justified one), another was an eyeliner-wearing stylist, and one was a big dullard, that combination could have been interpreted as a certain rhetorical statement, whether intentional or no. Not to mention the mere act of limiting the film’s demographic appeal.
I liked how they added the riot reaction. It fit with how they showed that everyone from every District watches the games and has feelings without the first person reactions/thoughts about what might be going on that you get from Katniss in the book. I would put money that it was Rue’s father, or some relative. As for the other tribute from her District, there was no relation in the book other than being from the same District. And he did say (from what I remember) something along the lines of ‘just this once’ to Katniss, because she had said something about being kind to Rue after she died. She may or may not have mentioned the bread at that point, which had come from Rue’s District to Katniss as a ‘thank you.’
The main point of the Games in terms of politics (I think explained in the book) is to make sure the Districts know that the Capitol holds all power over them and can take their children, no matter how young, and make them fight in these Games. Since there are always 24 tributes, they’re guaranteed to have some entertainment value from the older kids. In the book, Katniss remembers and refers to previous Games and how some of the younger/different/specially skilled tributes fair in certain conditions and how the GameMakers control certain aspects to make sure that there is a high entertainment value throughout the time span of the game play.
Agreed. 100%. In the book he was very simply decorated, kind of opposite of the rest of the stylists from the Capitol, which is what allowed Katniss to trust him from the beginning and follow his instructions.
One thing I felt was missing, and I understand why because it’s hard to explain and would have made a long movie incredibly longer, was the importance of the gifts from supporters. The movie did show a few and the end results of how those few fixed major problems Katniss was having, but from reading the book, you get so much more of the way Katniss thinks and how Haymitch communicated with her through the timing of gifts. My husband who went with me and had not read the books asked halfway through why the gifts even mattered and why wouldn’t they just send everything she needed. I had to explain that they were expensive and became more expensive as time went on and that there were some things that the GameMaker(s) could outlaw or not approve to have sent into the arena.
One last thought, for those who didn’t read the books, how long did you think the Games went on? As in from start to finish, how much time passed?
A day later, I can report that the Rue/three-finger salute/riot sequence rocked me to the core. It’s still getting to me.
I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t get how the movie handled Haymitch.
I didn’t get how Harrelson played him. His affect came & went, so I didn’t know if it was an air he put on, or whether it was inconsistent acting/editing/directing. For a while, I suspected he put on the airs more when in the company of Capitol people, but it didn’t exactly play out that way.
I preferred how he came off in the book: drunker, more beligerent, more physically formidable. Woody can definitely whoop some ass. As someone who’s only read 1.05 of the books, I’m totally curious about the character and his past triumphant. What a terrible job to live with: trying to train to hapless kids every year, who inevitably go off and die – nay, are killed.
And, yeah, I’m not saying I know how they should have done it. But the gifts didn’t seem like a big deal in the movie.
I liked the movie way better than I anticipated. I was nervous about translating the violence to a PG-13 movie without losing the edge that made it truly horrifying. They did well–and really pushed the limits of what PG-13 violence can be. Some of it was downright gory. Of course, there was next to no sexuality, so I guess violence could get pushed pretty well. My bigger concern, and one that they handled beautifully with the cinematography, of all things, was moving from Katniss’s head to a 3rd person omniscient viewpoint. So much of her came through to the reader in her thoughts, the way she analyzed and the way she dealt with compartmentalizing her emotions. I was impressed.
Seriously, Jennifer Lawrence is going to be a force.
As a “movie only” person…I got the hint from Woody saying it that “sponsors matter”…ok, gotcha…but I think they should have been more involved then they were, I wish they would have dropped more gifts, and not just healing aides to push that along and the importance of the Tributes winning over the crowd, so to speak, it did a great job with the sub-plots too (the guy she left behind, the riot in District 11, etc…), I enjoyed it but I don’t think it’s gonna be on my “gotta have on Blu-Ray list” but I will see the inevitable sequel…
I think I’d have liked it better if my movie buddy had an attention span and would stop asking “why this” and let the movie tell the fraking story…she’s not good with patience (yes sometimes I see movies before going with her so she doesn’t dumb question the whole movie away from me )
Having not read the books, I agree with this. Also, I got the strong impression that the Capitol people simply don’t care if an 18 year old murders a 12 year old with his bare hands. Actually, they may prefer it to a fairer fight.
One thing I felt was missing, and I understand why because it’s hard to explain and would have made a long movie incredibly longer, was the importance of the gifts from supporters. The movie did show a few and the end results of how those few fixed major problems Katniss was having, but from reading the book, you get so much more of the way Katniss thinks and how Haymitch communicated with her through the timing of gifts. My husband who went with me and had not read the books asked halfway through why the gifts even mattered and why wouldn’t they just send everything she needed. I had to explain that they were expensive and became more expensive as time went on and that there were some things that the GameMaker(s) could outlaw or not approve to have sent into the arena.
The whole gift thing threw me for a loop, too. And the numbers they got at the beginning were not very well explained. She got an 11. Other than the obvious Spinal Tap joke, what is so great about an 11? I know it was the highest number. At the time, I thought it was the number of sponsors she had, and therefore the number of gifts she’d get. However, she seemed to only get - what - two gifts all game, and both times it was medicine? Maybe I’m forgetting a third one, but it was nowhere near 11.
One last thought, for those who didn’t read the books, how long did you think the Games went on? As in from start to finish, how much time passed?
I got the impression that the game lasted a week, maybe two tops. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out it was only 5 days, but would be surprised if it was more than 2 weeks.
[spoiler]
In the book, she got a couple more gifts, including a loaf of bread from District 11 after everything with Rue.
Actually, one of the cool bits about the gifts in the book, which apparently wasn’t translated to the movie (which I haven’t seen yet) is that Haymich used the gifts to sort of send messages to her. For example, on the first day, when she couldn’t find water, she asked for him to send water, but he didn’t, which helped her figure out that she was close to a source of clean water.
And yes, it was right around 2 weeks in the book (maybe a day or two more)
[/spoiler]
Exactly what I meant about the gifts! The interaction that occured between Haymitch and Katniss that was really broken down by knowing how Katniss thought about how Haymitch understood her. She knew what Haymitch was trying to tell her because she has such a critical thinking mind. I felt that was missing from the movie.
And yeah, 2 weeks-ish. It’s good that came across, I couldn’t really judge, since I kept thinking of all that would have been happening in between the scenes in the movie (those that were left out from the book).
The book makes a bigger deal of explaining the training period and the numerical ranking and how they affect the GameMakers set up of the arena and the ability of tributes to gain sponsors. Only District 12ers know about Katniss’ skill with a bow until she shows the GameMakers (and even then, none of the other tributes know it). No one expected her to get such a high number rating, but because she does, it paints the target on her back, causing the group of tributes to gang up and try to take her out first. It also allows for Haymitch to throw out some pretty expensive and timely gifts throughout the book.
All that to say, even if someone has seen the movie, I highly encourage a read of the book. The movie is good. The book is great.
I actually haven’t seen the movie yet (and just read the book Tuesday/Wednesday), I was answering the quoted post. I wouldn’t be surprised if it seems shorter in the movie.
I got the first book free with my Nook, but it hooked me enough that I bought the other two (and just started Mockingjay today).
I just saw the film this afternoon (and have read the whole series) and: wow. Loved it. My only complaints are the set-up for the Gale/Peeta “competition” for Katniss (which I know is in the book, too, but I didn’t like it there either) and perhaps this isn’t a complaint, but I would have preferred the District 11 gift to Katniss in place of the riots, because they change the relationship Katniss has with the movements going on in books 2 and 3 (also I kept getting the events from the later Games confused since I only read through the series the one time).
Paula Malcomson as Katniss’ mom was awesome.
The riots weren’t in this book, from internet commentary I gather the man starting the riot was Rue’s father. Thresh (the male tribute from D11) didn’t have a particular relationship with Rue beyond the fact that they were from the same District that I can recall.
I was also a little taken aback that the physical toll on Katniss and Peeta in the games wasn’t addressed but we’ll see. I can’t wait for the next movie (and to see this one again!)
Yes, judging by the chorus of internet squeeeaaaals, this may end up becoming Lionsgate’s second highest earning film ever. Michael Moore’s doc did $220 million.
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