What's it to yah ?

luckyshirt:

So I read The Hunger Games. Then I saw the movie.

And I have a couple things to say about that.

Spoilers ahead.

This story was built around a fantastic and very interesting idea. At the very core of that idea is randomly-chosen hungry weak children being forced to kill each other.

Yet in both the movie and the book, the author misses the opportunity to let us see that idea purely expressed. What I mean is: we never once get to see two randomly-chosen hungry weak children being  forced to kill each other.

There is a huge opening battle. Many of the weak kids are killed quickly. That makes sense. Or does it? Most of these kids are not fighters, and none of them want to die. So it actually makes more sense that many of them would get the hell out of there as soon as they could, knowing that they don’t stand a chance in a huge bloodbath. They would run. Fast.

But the ones who did run are quickly hunted and killed by the very unrealistic alliance that forms.

So at no point do two of the ones who were smart enough to run face killing one another and not a trained killer or a girl who happens to be really good with a bow.

The author missed a perfect opportunity to let us experience her concept in its most meaningful way, by making us watch two innocent and likeable kids really struggle with the emotional and physical horror of having to try to kill one another.

Instead, we saw a bunch of random kids die. Then a laughing squad of mostly capable killers pick off the rest. Then one death at a time caused by another capable person or mutant.

No hungry weak kids fighting to the death. Missing with their weapon because it’s not the one they wanted, or because they aren’t good at using weapons because they make tortillas all day. Having to try to kill each other with their bare hands because they feel trapped. Because they are. And emotionally suffering beyond comprehension as a result.

And in that, I think the entire point was lost.