Ever So Ethnically Confused: May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favour

So, I'm obsessed with The Hunger Games.

When I first heard about it from a friend, I just thought, 'Oh cool, sounds good." Then when photo from the production started appearing on the net, I thought "Oh cool, that look good, I'll watch it when it comes out". Then when more articles started coming out in magazines and newspapers saying it was like 'the new Twilight' I thought 'WHAT! Shiz, I'm not watching that if its anything like those crap films".

But as the release date crept closer, I read more about the film, the original books and got excited, mostly because it looked amazing and the concept was brilliant (of course people compared it to Battle Royale) and its NOTHING like Twilight.

There is a better poster with just the symbol of the mocking jay in fire and the better tag line 'May the odds be ever in your favour', but I can't find it. But this poster also puts across the point too.

The Hunger Games, based on the book by Suzanne Collins, is set in nation of Panem, a dystopian place risen out of war and disaster in the ruins of what was once known as North America. 70 years before the film/book is set, the 13 Districts rebelled as the controlling Capitol. But they were defeated and as a continuing punishment to the Districts, The Hunger Games was created. Every year, each District hold a raffle, called a 'Reaping' in the book/film, where one male and females aged between 12 -18 will picked to compete in the Hunger Games. There are 24 contestants, called Tributes, who battle to the death on a live televised show until one remains.

The story follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who is from the poverty stricken District 12. She volunteers herself for the games when her younger sister, Primrose, is chosen. Along with Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson) , the male tribute, she is taken to the Capitol where she trains for the games as well as trying to gain support from sponsors. Their mentor Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), a previous winner, advises them and teaches them ways to stay alive in the arena.

The film was amazing. I did think it might not show how cruel and gruesome the actual Hunger Games is because it was a 12A but oh my it did, I welled up a few times, especially when one of the tributes is killed (if you've read the book, you know who I mean). I thought I would be watching just another big film but I love story and the characters are amazing. But not as amazing as Head Game Maker, Seneca Crane's beard! It even has it's own facebook page http://www.facebook.com/senecacranesbeard

Beards aside, the film is nothing without Katniss Everdeen. The book is written in first person from her point of view and that is sort of carried out in the film. The idea and the actual games are really quite terrifying. The thought of being that young and knowing you're going to die is shown throughout the film but its also very sinister as everyone in the Capitol treat the games like any other reality show. They don't understand or care about the overall impact the deaths have on the Districts. It is harrowing without showing that much blood.

I've always been a fan of dystopian stories where there are no supernatural elements and barely any great technical marvels. Hunger Games delivers this perfectly. There is a great line between the poor Districts and the wealthy Capitol. The Capitol and the Arena are very science fiction, if you get what I mean, but its not over the top. The people and their costumes are but it just shows the distinctions between the people in the Districts who dress like they are from the 1930's and present day, as opposed to the crazy clothes the Capitol people wear. These elements create a mixed unusual setting, a perfect combination of 'dystopian science fiction action drama'.

I liked the fact that the trailer for the film shows nothing from the Hunger Games themselves, just the part where all the tributes run. It made the experience of watching that part of the film more exciting because it felt that you are actually watching them play as if it were real time.

To address the 'Twilight' thing, yes there are two boys and one girl in the film and in all the promotion photos and such, there is always Gale, Katniss' best friend and hunting buddy, Katniss and Peeta, the other tribute who has been in love with Katniss since they were very young. Does this ring any bells? NO because they are all humans and not stupid vampires and werewolves. There is also the fact that Katniss and Gale are not a couple, hell she doesn't even see Gale that way (read the book). And to make it even more departed from Twilight, that trio are in the films, alot. Gale appears in the first 15-20 minutes, barely. Then there are one or two shots of him later on, but that's it! It is not a love triangle, the story is about survival and hope. But if I had to say anything about a love story, yes Peeta loves Katniss and I think by the end of the first story, Katniss loves Peeta, at least she is beginning to. But you can judge for yourselves.

To round this up, here are some film stills, to get you excited about the film too.