An oppressive government and a battle for survival shape a teen's future.

This past Thursday, I visited Coronado Village Theatre, grabbed a bag of delicious, steaming hot popcorn, and settled into the action-packed Hunger Games.

This movie (based on the first of three books written by Suzanne Collins) follows young Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), a resident of coal mining District 12. Secret ace archer Katniss and her fellow townspeople, including her best friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth), live in the shadow of a disturbingly oppressive government.  As we are reminded at the opening of the film, every year each district in the country of Panem must choose a boy and a girl to represent their community in the Hunger Games, a government-enforced brutal fight to the death between mere teenagers with one sole victor.  Before you know it, Katniss’ twelve-year-old little sister Prim (Willow Shields) has been chosen for the Games and is almost carted away to certain doom, when Katniss volunteers to take her place.  Once in the games, Katniss realizes the harsh reality that she may not make it out alive, seeing that some of her competition includes teens who have been training their whole lives just to win the Games.

Just when you start to settle into the idea that this movie must be set in the distant past, you are quickly shot into a futuristic society of haves and have-nots, bright costumes, speeding hover trains, and, of course, the ferocity of the Games.  Katniss is also joined by a boy from her district, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), with whom she slowly forms a tentative bond over the course of the Games.  As Katniss becomes enthralled by the high society of the glamorous capitol city, she also struggles to fight for her life and stay alive for her family back in District 12 once the Games commence.

I would say I was a bit put off by the gore and blood in the film. Although the violence of the Games isn’t constant, there are a few cringe worthy scenes of fallen participants.  If you have younger kids, I would take the PG-13 rating seriously.

Katie Brooks, Coronado resident and sophomore at Coronado High School said, “They cast the characters in the movie really well: just how I imagined them in the book!  However, I think they could have done a better job on the special effects.  Overall, the costumes were amazing and I can’t wait to see the next movie.”

All in all, the brutality of The Hunger Games is outshined by the actor’s realistic portrayal of the swirling emotions that accompany life in this topsy-turvy society.   The movie also includes many intense, nail-biting scenes that keep your eyes glued to the screen.  Many underlying themes of governmental oppression are present in this movie, with just a hint of revolutionary prospect on the horizon as the story concludes.  With so much talent involved, I daresay this franchise is on its way to becoming the next Harry Potter.

Watch The Hunger Games trailer below!

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Marie Balfour

Online Editorial Intern

eCoronado.com

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