'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1' movie review

When Katniss destroys the games, she goes to District 13 after District 12 is destroyed. She meets President Coin who convinces her to be the symbol of rebellion, while trying to save Peeta from the Capitol.

We’re coming into the homestretch with this, the first part of the final movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ incredibly popular YA Dystopia ‘Hunger Games’ series (now franchise).

The movie begins some time after ‘Catching Fire’ – Katniss (the luminous Jennifer Lawrence) is physically recovered from her daring stunt during the ‘Quarter Quell’, having used her bow and arrow to direct a current of lightning at the force field that contains the Hunger Games arena, destroying the arena and resulting in her temporary paralysis.

Interestingly though, the opening scene of ‘Mockingjay’ highlights Katniss’s mental state – physically recovered she may be, but ever since she volunteered for the 74th Hunger Games she has been mentally eviscerated. She is suffering from Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), what was coined ‘shell shock’ in the World Wars.

Not helping her mental state is her current location in District 13 – thought to be destroyed by the Capitol during the first rebellion, they have in fact been secretly militarizing themselves underground – and their President Alma Coin (Julianne Moore, with freaky contact lenses) organized to save Katniss, and now she needs to use her to fuel a rebellion against the Capitol. The rebellion needs their ‘Mockingjay’ symbol – for propaganda, and hope (arguably the most powerful form of propaganda). Katniss agrees, but only to save the Victors who remain prisoner of the Capitol and President Snow (creeeeeepy Donald Sutherland) – among them, Katniss’s fellow tribute and Hunger Games ‘winner’ Peeta Mellark (a transformed Josh Hutcherson).

Propaganda does not deceive people; it merely helps them to deceive themselves.
—Eric Hoffer

Let me start by saying that I liked this movie, but I didn’t love it – certainly not as much as its two predecessors. And I think a lot of that comes down to the fact that I wasn’t convinced that it needed to be broken into two parts.

I know, I know – it’s a money-maker and since Harry Potter broke ‘The Deathly Hallows’ and the Twilight Saga broke ‘Breaking Dawn’ into two parts, it was a given that ‘The Hunger Games’ YA adaptation franchise would do the same. But Rowling’s ‘Deathly Hallows’ was a whopping 759-pages, and Meyer’s ‘Breaking Dawn’ came in at 756. Suzanne Collins’ ‘Mockingjay’ was 390, in keeping with the page-count of the first two books. And, if I’m being perfectly honest, the page-to-screen adaptation suffers from injecting filler story that wasn’t in the book … and arguably, didn’t really need to be in the movie.

Most of the filler story is based around strategist Plutarch Heavensbee (in a stunning, bittersweet performance by the late, great Philip Seymour Hoffman) and President Alma Coin. There are quite a few scenes included that establishes their political machinations for Katniss as the symbol of their rebellion. Gale Hawthorne (Liam Hemsworth) is also pushed into the spotlight in this third movie, in an attempt to better round out the love triangle that so captivated readers.

The truth is the best picture, the best propaganda.
—Robert Capa

The political back-story does work, in one sense. It’s a mirror image that harks back to the scenes between President Snow and Gamemaker Seneca Crane (Wes ‘mustachioed’ Bentley) in the first ‘Hunger Games’ movie. They establish that Katniss is still a puppet, even though she’s now out of the arena – and the business of rebellion is as technical and political as Game-making. And while that’s all very fascinating and philosophical, it’s not terribly riveting. Sometimes all that saves the scenes between Plutarch and President Coin is Philip Seymour Hoffman’s captivating, nuanced performance. Injecting Jennifer Lawrence into these moments also works – a scene in which she’s being filmed for a propaganda ad is particularly artful, if only for Lawrence’s comedic timing.

When this storyline of Katniss as the Mockingjay symbol really works, is when Jennifer Lawrence is given a chance to shine in scenes of dramatic tension, rather than political maneuvering. Her visit to District 8 is especially heart wrenching – the camera stays on Lawrence’s face for most of this scene, and no wonder. She is a force to be reckoned with.

Other moments in the film that felt a drag, to me at least (and I will say that many in the audience started to fidget, becoming physically restless towards the end) concerned military operations. Scenes depicting other Districts rising up and joining the rebellion were heart-palpitating and often distressing, but powerful. But scenes in which District 13 carried out military operations felt a little too ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ for my liking. It leaves me concerned/hesitant for ‘Mockingjay Part 2’ … which we all know includes lengthy scenes of such operations.

It's so easy for propaganda to work, and dissent to be mocked.
—Harold Pinter

Something that did impress me in this book were the performances by supporting cast. Aforementioned Philip Seymour Hoffman, but also Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket. She has really made this role her own, and she provides some much-needed comedic relief in an otherwise fairly bleak installment (that’s only going to get bleaker in Part 2). Woody Harrelson continues to prove every nay-sayer (who wanted Robert Downey Jr.) wrong, in his role as Haymitch Abernathy – I love that in this movie, we see how much Haymitch has come to know and respect Katniss.

One cast member who maybe doesn’t shine quite so bright is Liam Hemsworth. He’s given some potentially great scenes to work with, but when he’s opposite Jennifer Lawrence he doesn’t rise to the challenge of her performance, and he often left me feeling cold. Likewise Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair who so impressed me in ‘Catching Fire’ – he seemed to get lost in this movie.

By contrast, Josh Hutcherson is fairly incredible in a very reduced role. He’s undergone a very physical transformation for this movie – he’s clearly lost a lot of weight as the role demanded, and the change is scary. I have to give him kudos too, right when I was whispering “I’m bored” to my seat-mate towards the end of the movie, Josh Hutcherson’s performance pulled me back in with his menacing turn. Costumer designer Kurt and Bart should also be praised for Hutcherson’s wardrobe, which included slick Capitol suits that seemed to physically choke and collar him.

 

Loud peace propaganda makes war seem imminent.—D. H. Lawrence

All in all, I didn’t LOVE this ‘Hunger Games’ installment but I enjoyed it – and mostly because I know where the story is going and I’m keen to race to the end. I mostly loved the scenes of District rebellion – particularly those that were soundtracked to Jennifer Lawrence’s ‘The Hanging Tree’ song (which I understand will not be on the movie soundtrack?! TRAVESTY!) There’s an escalation of violence in this movie that’s different from the killing featured in ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Catching Fire’ – it’s disturbing and powerful, but most importantly it sends a message that has roots in today’s society, from Syria to Iraq and so much more …. Which is what Suzanne Collins intended in the first place. And maybe it's just the sentiments of the movie that I enjoyed most of all - fire is catching, after all. 

4/5

'The Hunger Games: Catching Fire' movie review

 Every revolution begins with a spark.

I had the great pleasure last night, of (finally!) seeing ‘Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ at IMAX Cinema. It was, of course, spectacular – and not just because between movie #1 and #2 Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) has become an Oscar-winning, GIF-giving megastar of epic proportions … it was a wonderful film in its own right, and in keeping with the faithful adaptation of first book by director Gary Ross, ‘Catching Fire’ director Francis Lawrence has likewise delivered an extraordinary retelling of the second instalment in everyone’s favourite YA Dystopian series.

Remember who the enemy is.

Much like Suzanne Collins’ book, the first half of ‘Catching Fire’ focuses on Katniss and Peeta’s (Josh Hutcherson) lives in District 12 after their unprecedented double-“victory” in the 74^th Hunger Games.

Katniss and Peeta are living in the Victor’s Village and suffering survivor’s guilt and post-traumatic stress disorder. They’re also not the happily-ever-after romance story the world thinks they are, and it’s apparent that shortly after returning home, Peeta figured out Katniss’s true feelings for him; not ambivalence, but not the love story he thought they were either. Katniss’s best friend and hunting partner, Gale (Liam Hemsworth) isn’t quite as convinced as Peeta that their Hunger Games romance was entirely fake, but he lets Katniss know where he’d like to stand in her life regardless.

When the film begins Katniss and Peeta are about to go on another whirlwind Victor’s tour of the Districts, culminating in a splashy Capitol party before the 75^th Hunger Games are reaped.  This beginning of the film not only sets up Katniss’s post-Hunger Games life, but focuses on the over-arcing villains that carry the series to its conclusion. In the first film, scenes with President Snow were added to make it clear he was the bad guy – but in the book, Katniss and readers get their first real taste of him in ‘Catching Fire’. But what’s lost from Snow’s surprise visit, Donald Sutherland makes up with dripping menace and calculated threats in this second film.

The first-half of the movie also introduces us to the circumstances of the Districts. Previously confined to Katniss and Peeta’s 12, the Victor’s tour allows audiences to see that grey-tinged poverty and downtrodden citizens are not unique to Katniss’s home town, but all of Panem (barring The Capitol). This tour also hints at the sheer overwhelming depravity of Snow and the concept behind The Hunger Games. Forced to give speeches set out on cards, Katniss and Peeta address citizens, as the families of deceased contestants from said District stand on raised platforms. This is especially traumatic when they arrive in District 11, and Katniss is forced to look upon the faces of Rue’s family – it’s a heartbreaking scene that quickly delves into high-octane horror, in a perfect encapsulation of the entire Victor’s Tour.

While on tour Katniss and Peeta come face-to-face with the fallout of their Hunger Games win. There is disquiet and discontent in the Districts, and people are starting to fight back –it’s clear from the spray-painted Mockingjay symbol that abound, and the three-fingered District silent salute that is constantly raised … President Snow realises something must be done to quash Katniss’s unintentional rebellion.

Upon recommendation of new Game Maker, Plutarch Heavensbee (Phillip Seymour Hoffman – already so well-suited to the Capitol that the costume department decided to give him a sash and little else to define his character… so he’s pretty much just Phillip Seymour Hoffman, plus sash) President Snow decided that to celebrate the 75^th Quarter Quell Hunger Games … all previous winners will be reaped. Which means, Katniss and Peeta are back in the arena.

The sun persists in rising, so I make myself stand.

When the film shifts back into preparation mode for Katniss and Peeta in this, the Quarter Quell, it’s a weird combination of fun and doom. On the one hand, this is a “best of” past Hunger Games contestants, and as those who’ve read the book know, ‘Catching Fire’ provides a wealth of interesting new secondary characters. There’s fan-favourite Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin – with a smile to rival Heath Ledger’s) and slyly outspoken Johanna Mason (Jena Malone – all ferocity and humour). All the contestants are PISSED. OFF at having to compete for their lives again, and they’re holding nothing back on stage with Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci). On the one hand it is quite fun – Katniss is back and determined, if not to see herself survive, then to at least see Peeta through to the end. She’s in warrior-woman mode, and while it’s fun for the audience (more so than in ‘The Hunger Games’ when all contestants were children) … there’s no mistaking how horrendous it is to ask these (many of them damaged) survivors to re-enter the cause of their nightmares.  

The Arena is great. My mind was a little fuzzy on book details, but director Francis Lawrence never lets up once contestants enter the jungle arena. I jumped out of my skin so many times (the monkeys! THE MONKEYS!), but Francis Lawrence also does well to tease out these characters in-between the edge-of-your-seat escapes from poisoned fog and electrifying accidents.

Remember, girl on fire, I'm still betting on you.

Something that really came through in the movie for me – and it’s down to a great script, Jennifer Lawrence’s goddam beautiful portrayal and, I think, the fact that Francis Lawrence is at the helm for the two-part finale of ‘Mockingjay’ – is Katniss’s overall story-arc in this series. She goes from being an unwilling puppet in The Hunger Games for Capitol and President Snow’s amusement, to a sort of unwilling figurehead in the upcoming Revolution. That really hit home for me in this movie, even more so than it did in the books … to the point that I think the ending of ‘Mockingjay’ will make a lot more sense and not seem like such a cop-out to people.

And I think because of that I also, somehow, find myself firmly on Team Peeta. I don’t know what it was specifically (Hutcherson’s suddenly chiselled jaw, cute cowlick or the fact that I started to see Peeta as the only other person in the world to truly understand Katniss) but suddenly not even the steely-gaze of a Hemsworth could deter me from my Team Peeta banner waving.

I really, thoroughly enjoyed ‘Hunger Games: Catching Fire’. I know a lot was left out (mostly to do with getting-to-know the fellow Quarter Quell tributes) but Francis Lawrence did well to raise the energy and high-stakes in this second film, in a very honest adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s book. Jennifer Lawrence was, as always, perfection; a great combination of suffering survivor, loving sister and determined warrior. Josh Hutcherson seems to have suddenly found his leading-man shoes and even Sam Claflin (who initially underwhelmed me in advance photos, and broke my heart when he announced, almost proudly, that he “doesn’t read”) had me on-board.

Now, gimme ‘Mockingjay: Part 1’!

5/5

'The Hunger Games' movie review

 

  ** It goes without saying that there are SPOILERS in this review, of all the books in Suzanne Collins’s series **

24 tributes enter.
Only one will survive.
Let the games begin.

This is it. The moment fans have been waiting for since they first read about The Capitol, District 12 and Katniss Everdeen back in 2008. The adaptation of Suzanne Collins’s first book in her ‘Hunger Games’ trilogy is here, and it’s bloody spectacular.

Great Expectations

I was lucky enough to win tickets to an advanced screening of the film (Thank you, Empire Magazine!) last night. I went to the film in two minds… being a HUGE fan of the book series I did have my reservations about an adaptation. I ashamedly admit I was one of those people who scoffed at the announced casting of Jennifer Lawrence in the epic role of Katniss. I can admit it now (with hanging head) that I was rooting for Kaya Scodelario and couldn’t imagine Jennifer, blonde bombshell and Oscar nominee, as everybody’s beloved volunteer tribute. Oh, how wrong I was!

I was also concerned, like many fans, about the supposed PG+13 rating of the film. I couldn’t imagine how director Gary Ross could do Collins’s book series justice with a PG leash, when violence and glorified blood sport is not only the backbone of the plot but an intricate reflection of the distorted dystopian society. Luckily the film ended up with an M-rating, recommended for mature audiences… And in the film Ross proves that the violence can be impacting and justifiably horrifying, without being overtly bloody or gratuitous.

And, finally, I was most concerned by the casting of Josh Hutcherson as Katniss’s fellow District 12 contribute, and potential love interest, Peeta Mellark. Josh is 20 to Jennifer Lawrence’s 22, but his short stature and baby-face make him appear even younger… especially when compared to Liam Hemsworth who plays Gale Hawthorne, Katniss’s friend and eventual rival for her affections in the next two books. My worries about Hutcherson were not helped when I started perusing the premiere photos of him with his co-stars. The height and age difference in real-life seemed a (laughably) too big hurdle to overcome, and I wondered if the awkward red-carpet poses would translate to the big screen….

A World Away

First of all, the look of ‘The Hunger Games’ is fantastic! I think Gary Ross was doing a bit of a head-nod to the fact that Collins’s books have been compared to George Orwell’s ‘1984’… while watching I did think that parts of the District 12 and Capitol worlds were reminiscent of the 1984 film adaptation. It was in the ‘fancy’ blue clothing that the District 12 children wore to their Reaping, and the smooth granite façade of the Capitol’s stadium.

District 12 will feature more prominently in the next two adaptations, but the glimpse we got in this first movie was exactly what I wanted. It’s like a time-warp, made all the more noticeable when compared to the glitz and glamour of the Capitol. And it was here that Ross’s adaptive vision really excelled…

I said in my book review of ‘The Hunger Games’ that the look of the Capitol and its residents all leaked into the Dystopian theme… District 12 is the coal district, and its residents are hard done by - they’re all a little ragged and dirty and in a 1950’s depression era look, whereas the Capitol is full of outlandish abundance. Women dye their skin fanciful colours and men wear gravity-defying hair dos. There’s no doubt that this fictional future dystopia is our current society in a fun-house mirror – embellished and ruined. But Gary Ross’s Capitol has the feel of Marie Antoinette’s Versailles – for all the pompous wigs and garish colour schemes. Marvelous!

My one complaint with costume design had to do with Katniss and Peeta’s all-important fire costume (which gives Katniss the nickname, ‘The Girl on Fire’). I know this was a tall order, costume-wise, but the flames were underwhelming and too fake looking. I liked their coal-black costumes, but the flames were a bit of a CGI giggle. What worked better, I thought, was Katniss’s twirling flames number, when she’s interviewed by Caesar Flickerman. Now *that* looked cool!

All the Men and Women, Merely Players

What really stood out for me in this movie was the absolute spot-on perfection of the secondary characters.

The smaller players in the books actually come to mean a great deal as Katniss’s story progresses… and for some of them, their roles gain weight in the next two books. So I was pleased-as-punch to discover that the casting of secondary characters was absolutely nailed! There were three stand-outs for me...

Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, Katniss and Peeta’s Capitol-assigned escort. Banks could have been swamped by the outlandishness of her character, and furthermore by her gloriously over-the-top costume. But she really, truly excelled in this role (small as it may be). She was funny, while managing to remain a Capitol darling who doesn’t quite gain our sympathy just yet…

Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman was PERFECTION! Caesar is the host of the Hunger Games televised event; he interviews the tributes and narrates the goings-on of the actual arena games. I’m a big Tucci fan anyway (coolest dad ever in ‘Easy A’!) but I thought he outdid himself and fan expectation in this role. Even without garish prosthetics (there was rumour of false teeth) he managed to convey the disturbing hilarity of Caesar’s role to narrate the bloodthirsty games for the viewers at home. Tucci’s smile alone was totally Caesar – through and through.

Finally, Amandla Stenberg as Rue, the young District 11 Tribute. Now, Rue’s book character has a big fan-following, and was always going to be favourite. So I do wonder if part of my being impressed by Stenberg was just the fact that she had a great character to play (courtesy of Suzanne Collins), but upon reflection I just think she was another example of hit-the-nail-on-the-head casting. Rue’s early scenes drew some sweet giggles from the audience (particularly her antics during Tribute training) but it was her climactic death that really proved she was a force to be reckoned with. It’s a pivotal scene for a lot of reasons – Katniss’s first close quarters kill, among them. But the scene was just heartbreaking and both Stenberg and Lawrence did a wonderful job. The sound editing in this scene, and switched-perspective were also masterful.

One of the more contentious secondary character castings in the movie was Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy, previous District 12 winner, now Katniss and Peeta’s mentor. I know everybody wanted Robert Downey Jnr (me included!) to play the alcoholic curmudgeon. But Harrelson did a surprisingly good job (distracting blonde, straggly locks aside). Something I liked in this adaptation was how Gary Ross showed the behind-the-scenes workings of the Hunger Games. He takes viewers out of the arena on occasion, to show Haymitch schmoozing with Capitol sponsors and getting people on the outside onside with Katniss and Peeta. This was brilliant, and a very important component to the Games! I also liked Haymitch’s interactions with Games coordinator, Seneca Crane (Wes Bentley – with a FANTASTIC beard!), which illustrated just how badly the odds are, and not always in anyone’s favour because much of the Games is scripted. Likewise, Seneca’s scenes with President Snow (Donald Sutherland – again, more brilliant casting) are a nice leeway into the next two books…

Probably the worst casting was Lenny Kravitz as Cinna (Katniss’s designer). He pretty much just played Lenny Kravitz (tight leather pants, but no sunglasses – thankfully!). His scenes illicited a few giggles, only because of the absurdity of Lenny Kravitz dishing out deep and meaningful’s.

Heroes and Legends

Now, to the most important casting of all… Katniss and Peeta.

I won’t comment on Liam Hemsworth as Gale. As fans of the books know, Gale’s role in the first novel is absurdly small and it’s impossible to say anything about Hemsworth’s role beyond “he did good”. If I was Josh Hutcherson I might be mildly ticked off at having to share the red-carpet with an co-star who had a diminished role in comparison to my own… but, hey, Gale’s importance lies in book’s two and three.

I bow down before Jennifer Lawrence and take back every single negative thing I ever said about her casting. She was perfection. I always think that with ‘Twilight’, fans are smitten with the series because of love interests, Edward and Jacob (nobody actually likes Bella, do they?). But with ‘Hunger Games’ it seems like all fans have a bit of a crush on Katniss. We want to be her and we want the best for her… so much so that her character has taken on a cult-like following, akin to her role in the District revolution. But fans forget that while she kicked butt in ‘Catching Fire’ and ‘Mockingjay’, she started out as just another scared tribute in ‘Hunger Games’. Jennifer Lawrence bought such a fantastic, steely vulnerability to the character – she was sublime, and I think she will have exceeded many fan’s expectations.

Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, I’m a little more on-the-fence about. I admit, I went in with low expectations and came away pleasantly surprised… but not totally convinced. I still think that in the romance stakes, there’s no competition between him and Liam Hemsworth, and knowing the outcome of the love triangle I’m afraid lots of people will be wondering a big WTF? when it comes time for Katniss to choose. So I didn’t feel much sizzle between Peeta and Katniss (admittedly though, we’re meant to be constantly questioning and double-guessing Peeta’s affections for Katniss… so maybe that worked well in hindsight?). I just didn’t take Peeta seriously enough, I don’t think. I mean, there was one camouflage scene that had me (and the entire audience) cracking up in hysterics, but I still don’t know if that was actually meant to be serious (instead I was left to wonder why the Capitol included a M.A.C. cosmetics counter in the arena?). I think Josh Hutcherson will really be given an opportunity to show his mettle in ‘Catching Fire’, and I really hope he doesn’t botch it up. It could go either way at this stage.

The Sound and the Fury

Finally, I feel like I have to mention the violence. I really, truly think that the violence was necessary in this adaptation, because it’s intricate to the books. The unnatural violence of kids killing kids for sport and entertainment is so viscerally wrong, it’s part of how Collins framed this as a Dystopian world.

Gary Ross does bring the violence in this movie. It’s not overly bloody, and it’s not unnecessary and does stay true to the books… but I know that at the advanced screening there were people wincing and flinching, gasping at certain death scenes. And you know what? – good! It’s meant to impact. It’s mean to provoke a feeling of horror and wrongness – juxtaposed with the scenes of Capitol viewers going crazy with blood-lust as they watch the big screen.

May the Odds be Ever in Your Favour

All in all this is a superb adaptation – and a befitting tribute to Suzanne Collins’s wonderful series. If you loved the books, rest assured they have been adapted with the upmost care, respect and craft. I can’t wait for the next two films – bring it on!

Waiting on Wednesday: 'The Hunger Games' movie

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill @Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming release that we're eagerly anticipating.

So this is not a traditional waiting on Wednesday – because I'm not waiting (salivating, chomping at the bit, gagging, begging. . .) for a book. It’s actually a movie that’s based on a book. . . same, same – but different!

Suzanne Collin’s ‘The Hunger Games’ movie adaptation to be released in 2012.

I have to admit, I was one of those nay-sayers who balked at the idea of Jennifer Lawrence in the role of Katniss Everdeen. Trust me; I am happy to repent in the wake of press photos. . . Jennifer Lawrence looks like she’s totally going to kick Capitol ass!

I am sorry that I originally wanted Kaya Scodelario in the role (though I do still think she would have made an incredible ‘girl on fire’!). But I have since watched ‘Winter’s Bone’ and been figuratively ‘shut up’ by Lawrence’s bow and arrow + hair-dye.

Though, in my defense, when Jennifer Lawrence was announced as Katniss Everdeen the only reference I had for her was looking like a Baywatch-wannabe at the Oscars:

I'm still a little iffy on Woody Harrelson as Haymitch Abernathy (yes, I was rooting for Robert Downey Jnr, just like everybody else!). And I'm not getting the same lusty heart-palpitations for Josh Hutcherson (Peeta) as I do for Liam Hemsworth (Gale) – but my initial doubts about Jennifer Lawrence have taught me not to count my eggs before they hatch, and not to judge a cast before you see their promo shots. Lesson learned!

And may the odds be ever in your favor!

P.S. – is it 2012 yet? Because I'm also hanging out for the ‘Arrested Development’ movie. Seriously, I'm so excited I could weep!

'Mockingjay' Hunger Games #3 by Suzanne COLLINS

From the BLURB:

Young Katniss Everdeen has survived the dreaded Hunger Games not once, but twice, but even now she can find no relief. In fact, the dangers seem to be escalating: President Snow has declared an all-out war on Kattnis, her family, her friends, and all the oppressed people of District 12. The thrill-packed final installment of Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games trilogy will keep young hearts pounding.

** SPOILERS if you haven't read book #1 and #2 **

The Districts are rebelling. Thanks to Katniss Everdeen and a handful of berries, she has become a symbol of revolution – the mockingjay. Together with exiles from District 13 and the uprising residents of the other Districts, Katniss and the rebels are going to take down the Capitol. No more ‘peacekeepers’. No more deprivation and starvation. No more child sacrifices. No more ‘Hunger Games’.

Game over.

I went into the third and final book in ‘The Hunger Games’ trilogy knowing it would be a tear-jerker. Suzanne Collins’ series is an awful glimpse into a distorted and dystopian world ruled by an entertainment-hungry dictatorship and fuelled by fear. There was no fathomable way that Ms Collins could write an all-round ‘happy ending’ for Katniss and crew. Still, even preparing myself for what I knew would be a hard-to-swallow final book, I was alarmed by the despair in ‘Mockingjay’. I cried constantly throughout the last 100 pages. . . but I still, surprisingly, loved the send-off.

Suzanne Collins has written a very complicated final instalment. She is very cleverly giving her younger readers a history lesson with ‘Mockingjay’ by focussing so much of the book on the Hunger Games and Capitol politics. Katniss Everdeen becomes the symbol for the rebellion – her ‘mockingjay’ character is the personification of fight and freedom for the districts. Collins has written Katniss and her created mockingjay persona as a sort of Che Guevara or Rosa Parks – and Collins’s history lesson is in showing her young audience just how orchestrated and make-believe a revolution can be. Uprisings don’t happen overnight – they need people and symbols to stir the embers of discontent.

I turn my gaze skyward and watch the flight of a hawk across the sky. “President Snow once admitted to me that the Capitol was fragile. At the time, I didn’t know what he meant. It was hard to see clearly because I was so afraid. Now I’m not. The Capitol’s fragile because it depends on the districts for everything. Food, energy, even the Peacekeepers that police us. If we declare our freedom, the Capitol collapses. President Snow, thanks to you, I’m officially declaring mine today.”

A lot of ‘Mockingjay’ is cleverly devoted to politicking and the behind-the-scenes of a revolution. And it makes for fascinating reading. Throughout the book I kept hearing that ‘V for Vendetta’ quote: “A building is a symbol, as is the act of destroying it. Symbols are given power by people. A symbol, in and of itself is powerless, but with enough people behind it, blowing up a building can change the world.” Collins beautifully articulates the strength behind symbolism and the mobility of revolution and Katniss Everdeen is a wonderful conduit for such explorations;

“President Snow says he’s sending us a message? Well, I have one for him. You can torture us and bomb us and burn our districts to the ground, but do you see that?” One of the cameras follows as I point to the planes burning on the roof of the warehouse across from us. The Capitol seal on a wing glows clearly through the flames. “Fire is catching!” I am shouting now, determined that he will not miss a word. “And if we burn, you burn with us!”

Obviously the take-down of the Capitol is at the crux of ‘Mockingjay’ (and the entire ‘Hunger Games’ series). But an equally large portion of the book is devoted to Katniss’s impossible love triangle and the choice she must make between long-time friend Gale, and her arena partner, Peeta. I don’t want to give anything away. . . but a lot of my crying throughout the book had to do with Peeta and Katniss. Just. . . wow. They were heart-wrenching. Utterly and completely heart-wrenching.

Like I said, I went into ‘Mockingjay’ knowing that the trilogy couldn’t, faithfully, finish on a happy ending. There was just no way because a happy ending is not conducive to a dystopian trilogy, unfortunately. Still, I was shocked (and surprisingly impressed) by how cut-throat Suzanne Collins was in this book. She unabashedly puts Katniss through the physical, emotional and mental wringer. Collins is blood-thirsty, killing off beloved characters and giving them gruesome send-offs reminiscent of the arena in book #1.

All of the deaths left me an emotional, vicarious wreck. At the time of reading I was almost angry with Ms Collins for writing such despair and it got to the point where I was hoping and praying for just one good thing to come out of ‘Mockingjay’. But upon reflection, I can appreciate and accept that all that death and gloom was necessary. You have to go there to come back, so to speak. And really, if Ms Collins had written anything softer she would have been selling-out and kowtowing to fans. Instead she remained true to the heart of her series – it started out bloody and ended bloody. Well, bloody brilliant, in my opinion.

Yes, ‘Mockingjay’ is sad, and violent and in no way a clean, conventional ‘happy ending’. But it’s all relative. . . because although ‘The Hunger Games’ is a dystopian look at killing sport, it’s equally true that at its heart the series is about fighting back. It’s about choosing to die on your feet rather than live on your knees. Yes, it’s violent and dystopian - but it’s ultimately about hope. Collins distils her series’ overarching themes in this final instalment, sending Katniss and crew out with an explosive ‘BANG’, which is equal parts sad and brilliant.

5/5


My ‘Hunger Games’ obsession knows no bounds. Now that I've tackled the books, I look forward to the film adaptations. For what it’s worth, I’m backing Kaya Scodelario for Katniss (because Skins is amazing and I could believer her ass-kicking!). Hurry up 2013!

Consequently I have now watched the film adaptation of a Japanese novel by Kōshun Takami. If you read the 1-star Amazon reviews of 'The Hunger Games', you'll notice that a majority of them accuse Ms Collins of ripping-off the plot of 'Battle Royale' (in which a Japanese school class are left deserted on an island and ordered to kill each other in 3 days as cameras tape the whole thing). I have now seen the movie (which is gory and brilliant!) and intend to read the book. Are there similarities to 'Hunger Games'? Yes. But then again, 'Hunger Games' has similarities to 'Lord of the Flies' too. Collins's book tears away from 'Battle Royale' when Katniss exits the arena and starts a revolution. Still, it's worthwhile seeing. And it looks as though a Westernized adaptation is on the way for 2011 (to beat the 2013 'Hunger Games' movie perhaps?)

'Catching Fire' Hunger Games #2 by Suzanne COLLINS

From the BLURB:

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the annual competition described in Hunger Games, but the aftermath leaves these victors with no sense of triumph. Instead, they have become the poster boys for a rebellion that they never planned to lead. That new, unwanted status puts them in the bull's-eye for merciless revenge by The Capitol. Catching Fire maintains the adrenaline rush of Suzanne Collins's series launch.

** SPOILERS for ‘The Hunger Games’ **

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark won the Hunger Games. . . at the expense of the Capitol. Katniss made the grave error of making the Gamemakers and the Capitol look bad – with a handful of berries she effectively ignited a district-uprising. And now the Capitol wants revenge.

Outright killing Katniss could potentially add fuel to the rebellion’s flames. So the Capitol go one step better. . . under the banner of the Hunger Games ‘Quarter Quell’ they announce that the 75th Hunger Games will include only previous reaping winners. That means Katniss and Peeta are back in the arena. . . and this time, they won’t win.

A good portion of ‘Catching Fire’ is devoted to creating big overarching bad guys for the whole series. In ‘The Hunger Games’ Katniss’s focus was on the immediate threat of her fellow tributes, as opposed to the larger threat of the Capitol. In that first book the real bad guys weren’t really seen, only heard. Because Katniss was in the reaping arena, the most interaction she and Peeta had with the Capitol villains was via the booming voice of Claudius Templesmith or Caesar Flickerman, the games interviewer.

In ‘Catching Fire’ Collins gives face and substance to the true villains of ‘Hunger Games’ – and the head-honcho baddie is President Snow, who ultimately orchestrates the reaping and ensures that the district never forget the meaning behind the massacres. President Snow is a wonderfully sinister bad-guy. His physical description is spot-on perfection – everything from the smell of roses and blood to his cosmetically-enhanced, puffy lips. He’s a bad-guy for the books, and utterly despicable.

I went into ‘Catching Fire’ unsure of what to expect. Collins left ‘The Hunger Games’ off on such an emotional cliff-hanger between Katniss and Peeta and their orchestrated, honest romance. . . but as for the plot substance of ‘Catching Fire’, I really didn’t know where Collins would go next. Well, my jaw well and truly dropped in this second book. From the ‘Quarter Quell’ to President Snow’s threats – I spent a good portion of ‘Catching Fire’ simply muttering “omigod, omigod, omigod, omigod!”

I loved reading about the fallout from Katniss and Peeta’s win – the small hints of their survivors-guilt and fractured lives in the aftermath of the reaping. I also loved reading about Katniss’s renewed vigour – like a phoenix rising from the flames (for a second time);

Life in District 12 isn’t really so different from life in the arena. At some point, you have to stop running and turn around and face whoever wants you dead. The hard thing is finding the courage to do it.

I also loved the romantic focus in ‘Catching Fire’. Katniss is caught between Peeta (the boy with the bread) and her best friend, Gale. Katniss and Gale have been hunting partners for years – and that’s all Katniss thought they were. But her pretend relationship with Peeta in the arena had Katniss questioning her feelings for both boys. . . and upon returning home, Katniss discovers that Gale was deeply wounded having to watch her and Peeta’s ‘romance’ play out on the small screen.

I love how deliciously complicated Collins’s romance is. It’s as edge-of-your-seat as what happens in the Games arena – and like the nuts-and-bolts plot I never knew what to expect with the love triangle. I don’t even know who I’m hoping Katniss ends up with. . . Gale or Peeta. Baker or Hunter? I just don’t know! But for what it’s worth, I loved how much more complicated Katniss and Peeta’s relationship got when they went into the arena for a second time;

“Peeta, how come I never know when you’re having a nightmare?” I say.
“I don’t know. I don’t think I cry out or thrash around or anything. I just come to, paralysed with terror,” he says.
“You should wake me,” I say, thinking about how I can interrupt his sleep two or three times on a bad night. About how long it can take to calm me down.
“It’s not necessary. My nightmares are usually about losing you,” he says. “I’m OK once I realize you’re here.”

‘The Hunger Games’ is an epic young adult trilogy. It’s such an amalgamation of brilliance – at once a complicated exploration of modern media, darn good thrill-ride complete with an intense love triangle. I am well and truly addicted.

I have to admit, any regret I was feeling over not starting this series back in 2008 was quickly quenched when I read the final page of ‘Catching Fire’. . . even knowing that ‘Mockingjay’ was waiting for me on my bookshelf, I could not crack that final book open quick enough to quell the suspense that Collins leaves us with at the end of ‘Catching Fire’.

5/5

'The Hunger Games' Hunger Games #1 by Suzanne COLLINS

From the BLURB:

Could you survive on your own, in the wild, with every one out to make sure you don't live to see the morning?

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

‘The Hunger Games’ is the first book in Suzanne Collins ridiculously popular (and heartbreakingly wonderful) ‘Hunger Games’ trilogy.

The first book came out in October 2008 and generated a *lot* of buzz. It helped that Stephenie Meyer and Stephen King provided puffs for the book’s cover, and generally ensured that two very different but far-reaching audiences would give the book a go. . . but more than that, film buzz started up pretty much from the get-go. I was aware of the hype, but I also knew that ‘The Hunger Games’ was the first book in a trilogy. . . so I decided to bide my time and wait for all the books to come out and read them back-to-back. The third and final book, ‘Mockingjay’ was released in August of this year. . . but I still waited three months before I started reading.

. . . And now I regret not starting this trilogy sooner (it’s ‘Downside’ all over again!)

There is a New World Order where the Capitol rules, absolutely. In a bid to quench uprisings and rebellion, the Capitol have made sport out of sacrifice. . . every year they hold The Hunger Games. Twenty-four people from each District (starting at age 12) are randomly selected to enter into a fight to the death – for the amusement and entertainment of Capitol residents. The Games are viewed around the world, cameras lapping up the blood and gore and audiences rooting and sponsoring their favourite sacrifices.

Two children from each district, one boy and one girl, enter into the ever-changing arena landscape to battle against one another and come out the sole, victorious, survivor. The reaping provides dual purpose – entertainment value and to remind the District’s that the Capitol can offer their children up to slaughter without batting an eyelid.

This year Katniss Everdeen is one of the Game’s offerings. Along with Peeta Mellark, these two represent District 12 – Panem’s lowliest, poorest district famous only for coal mining. Katniss enters into the game with the dwindling hope that she will survive and return home to her mother and little sister, Prim. But a risky strategy by Peeta might just turn the game around for them. . . if they spin a tale of being star-crossed lovers, thrown into the Hunger Games only to kill one another, can they win the heart of the crowd and accomplish the impossible? Can they actually win?

‘The Hunger Games’ is summer-blockbuster reading. It’s a cross between George Orwell’s 1984, Gladiator, Mad Max and John Marsden’s ‘Tomorrow’ series. . . in a word: ‘phenomenal’. I hate to use clichés, but ‘The Hunger Games’ is literally ‘unputdownable’. It’s the sort of book that you hole yourself up with in your room, and when someone comes in to tell you that dinner is ready or it’s time for you to go to work, you snarl and snap at them and tell them to get the hell out because you just got to a really good part and they’re killing your reading-mojo. . . it’s that kind of book!

There are so many layers to ‘The Hunger Games’. On the surface it’s a damn good yarn – full of tension, action, unrequited love and moral conundrums. . . but if you dig deeper you start to really appreciate how complex Suzanne Collins’s universe is.

The book acts as a sort of mirror to society. In a time when reality TV rules the box, Collins writes a distorted, dystopian imagining of reality TV in the future – where blood-sport is the new norm. The same way that George Orwell predicted a watchful Big Brother society, Collins forecasts a disturbing new trend in reality television. And a lot of the book’s focus (even indirectly) is on the audience who lap up the bloodied television show.

I loved reading about the Capitol and its residents. It is with characters like Effie Trinket (one of District 12’s ‘mentors’) that Collins takes current notions of ‘celebrity’ to exaggerated and disturbing lengths. I loved reading about the look and dress of Capitol residents – from the stylist who dyed her skin a pea-green shade to the gold eye-tattoos and rampant plastic surgery. There’s no doubt that Collin’s fictional future dystopia is our current society in a fun-house mirror – embellished and ruined.

‘The Hunger Games’ is a twisted, romantic fare. Peeta and Katniss’s ‘romance’ is wonderful and wonderfully complicated. The book is told from Katniss’s perspective, so when Peeta starts flirting she (and readers) are never entirely sure if it’s a strategy or genuine love. Add into the mix the fact that Peeta and Katniss are going into the Hunger Games arena knowing only one of them can survive. . . and this isn’t your typical romance. I've never read such high romantic stakes in a Young Adult book and I loved the fact that the ‘love story’ is just as edge-of-your-seat as the action of fighting to the death. Brilliant!

Perhaps my favourite aspect of ‘The Hunger Games’ was the characters and Suzanne Collin’s making heroes out of her young protagonists. I love reading YA books where the author doesn’t ‘talk down’ to her characters, and therefore audience. Collins has really made a hero of Katniss – she has written her as a tough-as-nails, ass-kicking young woman. And I especially loved that all of the young characters in this book don’t rely on adults to ‘save’ them – they have to save themselves because, in fact, the adults are the bad guys. The adults are the Gamemakers and Capitol politicians who insist on throwing these games every year and making a killing example out of these poor kids.

As my last act of defiance, I will stare her down as long as I can see, which will probably not be an extended period of time, but I will stare her down, I will not cry, I will die, in my own small way, undefeated.
“Yes, I don’t think you’ll have much use for your lips any more. Want to blow Lover Boy one last kiss?” she asks. I work up a mouthful of blood and saliva and spit it in her face. She flushes with rage. “All right, then. Let’s get started.”

Like John Marsden, Suzanne Collins throws her young characters into impossibly awful situations, letting them save themselves and test their own mettle. Brilliant. These are characters that young readers can admire and learn from.

I absolutely, unabashedly and whole-heartedly loved the first book in the Hunger Games trilogy. On the one hand I kind of wish I had jumped on the Suzanne Collins band-wagon sooner. . . but at the same time I was totally relieved reading the last page of ‘The Hunger Games’ and knowing that ‘Catching Fire’ and ‘Mockingjay’ were waiting for me on my shelf. I don’t know how I could have stood the suspense otherwise.

A movie is in the works, slated (very tentatively) for a 2013 release. Normally I’m apprehensive about a beloved book getting the screen-treatment. . . but Suzanne Collins’s writing is destined for big-screen magnificence. She’s done all the work for the scriptwriters - now if a cast is assembled who can reflect the inherent brilliance of Collin’s characters, this could be a new movie franchise to fill the Harry Potter and Twilight void.

5/5

P.S. – I've got to give a big THANK YOU to the many reviewers who kept pimping these books and reminding me to read them. People like Larissa... I really should just adopt the mantra “do everything Larissa says!” because she hasn’t led me astray yet :)