[dropcap]B[/dropcap]reaking the treeline, Katniss takes a moment to sit, take a breather, and check the contents of the backpack she just risked her life to acquire. A water bottle, (empty), iodine to purify water, a black sleeping bag, a coil of wire, matches, sunglasses, a sheet of plastic, and some dried beef strips and crackers. After only a short break, Katniss is on the move again, fighting for survival.
This is what the Hunger Games are like: trying to survive, no matter what. The Hunger Games trilogy has proven successful since the first book was published in 2008, and has shown even more success when the movie premiered March 23, 2012, grossing over $150 million opening weekend.
However, this series still does not quite measure up to the success of the Harry Potter series. The newest and last installment of the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2, grossed almost $170 million opening weekend, and a total gross of over $380 million.
But now the Harry Potter series is over, and many people are left wondering what will be the next big series that everyone is reading and talking about. The Twilight series could have been the next in line, but with a shorter series, the movies being cranked out rather quickly, and overall more opposition, it didn’t seem to catch on as much as Harry Potter did. Also, Twilight’s timing when making the movies wasn’t favorable with the audience. With the end of each series almost overlapped exactly, Harry Potter took precedence.
Now that Harry Potter’s books and movies are done, this is a perfect time for a new teenage-based series to emerge. Many think that The Hunger Games will be that series. With the protagonist being a teenager who has to take on many adult responsibilities, as well as grapple with moral decisions that could affect more than just themselves, the series share a similar basis. In addition to that, the two main antagonists of these series start as “untouchable” entities. In Harry Potter, Voldemort is older and already has a reputation as being one of the most powerful wizards to have ever lived. In the Hunger Games, the Capitol is able to control everything about Katniss’ life, as well as the lives of everyone around her, with virtually no hope of stopping them.
Junior Claire Thomas read the Hunger Games series, and saw the movie. She felt that the movie stayed true to the book. However, she doesn’t feel that the success of the Hunger Games will quite measure up to the success of the Harry Potter series.
“I don’t know if it appeals to as big of an audience. Harry Potter appealed to people of all ages, adults and kids, teenagers, and I think Hunger Games [is] more girl-oriented and a little more teenager-oriented,” Thomas said.
She also believes that because Katniss is a female protagonist, it may cause some people to steer clear of the series.
“I think it might just make it more appealing to girls rather than guys. I feel like girls are more likely to read a book with a boy or a girl protagonist and guys will try to stay away from books with girl[s] and go to book with boy[s],” Thomas said.
Since the Hunger Games came out, it has made over $330 million, rivaling Deathly Hallows Part 2’s $380 million. However, this is the first of only three movies for the Hunger Games series, while the Harry Potter series had a total of eight movies. While money is a decent indicator of a movie’s success, fans’ thoughts also count. Overall, the Hunger Games has had good reception across the board, but only time will tell how successful the series really will be, and whether or not it will be the next big teenage series.
“She has no idea. The effect she can have,” Peeta didn’t say in The Hunger Games movie. This line, a favorite among the book fan base, was left out along with many others. The movie released, Friday, March 23, at midnight and fans of the best-selling book series by Suzanne Collins swarmed theaters in head-to-toe hunting gear and homemade T-shirts to see if the film adaptation would live up to the extremely high expectations placed upon it by critics. To most, it didn’t disappoint.
The series takes place in the future, although it is never specified as to exactly when. Panem has taken the place of North America, ruled by the Capitol and made up of districts, each one numbered and with a specific purpose. Each year, a “reaping” takes place, during which one boy and girl between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen at random to be sent into a televised fight to the death. Originally, this ritual was to remind the districts of the Capitol’s power and the punishment they would receive if a rebellion were to occur. As the games grew in popularity, it morphed into a sport, bet on and watched for entertainment value.
When Katniss Everdeen’s little sister is chosen at the reaping, Katniss (played flawlessly by Jennifer Lawrence) quickly steps forward to take her place. Following this, a whirlwind of interviews, appearances, and training for a battle to the death ensues. When the District 12 tributes are thrown into the arena, their survival strategy quickly turns from working against each other to teaming up, not only for survival, but to keep the audience guessing as a romance forms between the two.
A few minor differences between the book and movie are easily distinguishable. First, Madge, the daughter of the District 12 mayor who originally gives Katniss the Mockingjay pin, is nonexistent in the movie. Instead, Katniss comes across the Mockingjay pin in The Hob, a black market where Katniss sells the game she illegally hunts. Also, Katniss’ prep team plays a big role in the book as the reader gets to know Flavius, Venia, and Octavia for their naïve, yet compassionate personalities. In the movie, they make a very small two-second appearance. Hopefully in the upcoming Catching Fire movie, set to release Nov. 22 of 2013, the three will become progressively more important as they do in the book series. Catching Fire is also supposed to hold the first glimpse of the uprising District 11 starts after Rue’s death. In the book, District 11 sends Katniss bread as a token of gratitude. The movie instead shows the uprising as it begins. One final complaint would be the ending, which leaves out an important conversation between Peeta and Katniss that takes place in the book, setting up part of the plot for Catching Fire.
Overall, the movie was not disappointing. I’ve seen it three times thus far and I’m sure I’ll be there for the midnight release of the DVD. The movie was as close to the book as possible while working within a limited two hour and 22 minute time frame. Although initially unhappy with the casting decision for Peeta and Gale, 20 minutes within the movie Josh Hutcherson won me over. Liam Hemsworth, however, has yet to prove himself useful. Then again, so does Gale.
By: Nathan Thimmesch
