Yes, there were definitely flaws and I can't imagine it was an easy job given the time and ratings (PG-13) restrictions. As it is, the film clocks in at a whopping 2 hrs 20 mins, phew!
So just a few things to bear in mind before I delve further into my "dissection" of The Hunger Games' cinematic adaptation: I'm a fan of the books so naturally my views will be bias, comparing book to film and vice versa. Also, I'm firmly Team Peeta ;)
Lastly, spoilers ahead! Close your eyes and scroll to the next post or click 'x' on this page right now if you're not ready to have the books/movie "spoilt" for you! :)
Characters
First things first, eye-candy! *muahaha* It was nice to see that both Liam Hemsworth (Gale) and Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) fit into their respective roles quite well. I mean, have you seen their non-Hunger Games pics?!
For a while there before trailers of the film were out, there were concerns from netizens like 'OMG... Gale's actor doesn't look like a teen!' and 'That's supposed to be Peeta?! Seriously?' Thankfully, it was all good. :D
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| Gale. Peeta. |
Jennifer Lawrence, while not looking quite like the Katniss I had in mind, did impress with her acting XD Katniss isn't a chatty sort of person and she does feel quite a bit of isolation, so a lot of what she's thinking and feeling has to be conveyed through her expressions, which is what Jennifer did. Hooray!
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| The look that says don't f with me, grr XD |
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One of my fav scenes from the film is Peeta's interview with Caesar. At that moment, I really felt 'Yes, that's Peeta and that's Caesar. It's just like what I imagined!' Bingo!
Behind The Scenes
Moving on, I thought it was clever to intersperse scenes from the Games with what would be considered by readers of the books as behind the scenes footage. Yup, you don't get commentaries from Caesar, see what's happening in the Districts during the Games and have the privilege of peeping into Seneca Crane's dilemmas in the book as it's told from Katniss' POV :P
Btw, Wes Bentley is an awesome Seneca! I'm glad Seneca got more screen time than he would if the film strictly followed the book.
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| I didn't think Seneca Crane would be a dashing sort of man when reading the book *swoon* :P |
On the other hand, I expected President Snow to look more slick and snake-like, less like a grumpy Santa XD The movie Snow actually better fits my impression of book Haymitch.
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| Movie Snow reminds me of a grumpy Santa XD |
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| Movie Haymitch |
Watered Down Impact?
In having to conform with the PG-13 rating and time restriction though, it did feel like the book's message and impact wasn't as strong in the film.
a. Mockingjay pin:
For example: What the heck? Katniss gets the pin for free from a market-like place? Okay, not very believable. Besides, book Katniss receives the pin from Madge, the daughter of District 12's mayor. The symbolism of this gesture is lost in the film and it'll be interesting to see how the film explains (if at all), the role of the pin in marking Katniss as an inadvertent bringer of change against the Capitol.
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| Oh, let's see what's this? A Mockingjay pin? It's mine for free? |
b. Let the games begin:
While I wouldn't say the book's portrayal of the Games is more gory, it did come off as more horrific.
i. Katniss and Rue
Case in point: Book Rue was speared while still struggling in the net. Her death was all the more tragic and awful because it really does convey the helplessness of the situation, for both Rue and Katniss.
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| Movie Rue |
In addition, not including the part where Katniss and Rue talk about their Districts does mean the film doesn't touch on the fact that the Districts have no contact with each other. Isolating the Districts from one another and not allowing exchanges of information is one of the Capitol's methods for ensuring continued oppression of the Districts.
Likewise, one of the most moving parts of the book where Katniss receives bread from District 11 after Rue's death was omitted in the film. Food is an expensive commodity in the Games and Katniss is greatly moved by this gesture, acknowledging to herself that the people of District 11 must have sacrificed a lot - being a poor District - just to provide that loaf of bread. Moreover, it's illegal to send gifts to a tribute from another District.
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| So long, farewell. Katniss giving Rue/District 11 the farewell given by District 12 at funerals of loved ones. |
ii. Sponsorship and mentorship
Conveniently allowing mentors to include notes in the parachutes bearing gifts from sponsors also undermines the isolation and hopelessness that tributes in the arena have to go through.
In the book, mentors aren't allowed to communicate with tributes in the arena, which I felt really drove down the point that tributes really have no one to depend on in the arena except for allies (to trust or not to trust?) and sponsors (which they have almost no control over except being as tv-genic as possible since mentors are the ones sourcing for sponsorship during the Games).
Love? What Love?
Oh yeah, is it just me or does movie Peeta and Katniss have almost zero chemistry? >.< Peeta and Katniss' background story wasn't well conveyed either in the film, which - being a huge Katniss-Peeta fan - does affect the bitter-sweet relationship they have.
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| Katniss and Peeta being lovey-dovey.... or maybe not >.< |
Extract from the book, thanks to here.
“Peeta,” I say lightly. “You said at the interview you’d had a crush on me forever. When did forever start?”
“Oh, let’s see. I guess the first day of school. We were five.You had on a red plaid dress and your hair . . . it was in two braids instead of one. My father pointed you out when we were waiting to line up,” Peeta says.
“Your father? Why?” I ask.
“He said, ‘See that little girl? I wanted to marry her mother, but she ran off with a coal miner,’” Peeta says.
“What? You’re making that up!” I exclaim.
“No, true story,” Peeta says. “And I said, ‘A coal miner? Why did she want a coal miner if she could’ve had you?’ And he said, ‘Because when he sings . . . even the birds stop to listen.’”
“That’s true. They do. I mean, they did,” I say. I’m stunned and surprisingly moved, thinking of the baker telling this to Peeta. It strikes me that my own reluctance to sing, my own dismissal of music might not really be that I think it’s a waste of time. It might be because it reminds me too much of my father.
“So that day, in music assembly, the teacher asked who knew the valley song. Your hand shot right up in the air. She stood you up on a stool and had you sing it for us. And I swear, every bird outside the windows fell silent,” Peeta says.
“Oh, please,” I say, laughing.
“No, it happened. And right when your song ended, I knew— just like your mother — I was a goner,” Peeta says. “Then for the next eleven years, I tried to work up the nerve to talk to you.”
“Without success,” I add.
“Without success. So, in a way, my name being drawn in the reaping was a real piece of luck,” says Peeta.
That, precisely, is one of the many reasons I'm all for Katniss-Peeta. He's so romantic! :D
The film also did not emphasize enough on the fact that Peeta willingly took a beating from his mother in order to give Katniss the bread that saved her and her family from starvation when her father died. That's the reason why Katniss found it so difficult to have to kill Peeta if she wanted to win the Games.
Oh, in case you think I'm really bias towards Peeta and Katniss (which I am XD ), didn't feel that Katniss and Gale had enough screen time for realistic chemistry either, although this pairing did fare better in the film :P
Overall
So as a whole, I do prefer the book more to the film as I felt that the critique of society that Suzanne Collins imparted in the book(s) was much stronger in print than in the film.
However, fans of the book I feel wouldn't be too disappointed with the film and it's rather nicely done, as long as you don't mind spending more than 2 hours at the cinema :)
May the odds be ever in your favor.
For more differences between the book and film, as well as the impact of the changes to the story, read this.
If you have the time, take the Capitol tour ;)
Awesome review!
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