[benpenguin]

Anybody seen the movies? I was quite surprised that it received such a positive review and considered to have some sort of deep political meaning. I find that the "dystopian world" it painted is completely unrealistic:

Faceless troopers beating and shooting random citizens for no reason?
Government hosting an annual deathmatch to somehow remind citizens that a rebellion happened, and that rebellion is bad therefore don't join rebellions m'kay?
Using random teenagers and kids as gladiators?
The president himself coming in front of Katniss just to intimate her?
...really?

I was really annoyed with these stuff throughout the movie...Is the book any better?

[AFAIK]

The books are told entirely from Katniss' perspective so you would have found them worse if anything.

[The Clockwork Rat]

It was written for teenagers, not adults.

[benpenguin]

It was written for teenagers, not adults.

Okay, guess there is still hope in humanity.

[RhetoricThug]

Yes it is junk... I advise you to watch PBS special, Generation Like.

[youtube]IfKmKy3ikEc[/youtube]
Cmon man, do I need to privately teach you media?

[Lexington]

It was written for teenagers, not adults.

This.

and considered to have some sort of deep political meaning

Who said this? It's a story for teenagers, it's slightly more sophisticated than Twilight.

[RhetoricThug]

Who said this? It's a story for teenagers, it's slightly more sophisticated than Twilight.

Sophist enough to relate to the dilemma between the teenage behavior by contrast with adult behavior? This movie is definitely made to appeal to the teenage sensibilities. However, the book may hold adult appeal, because literature demands cognitive rendition. Visual expression requires mere osmosis. I revel in your assumption, Lexington.

[Lexington]

Sophist enough to relate to the dilemma between the teenage behavior by contrast with adult behavior? This movie is definitely made to appeal to the teenage sensibilities. However, the book may hold adult appeal, because literature demands cognitive rendition. Visual expression requires mere osmosis. I revel in your assumption, Lexington.

There are so many things wrong with this I don't know where to start. Did you get that lobotomy?

[RhetoricThug]

Oh, I know... That first sentence especially

I did not receive my lobotomy. I'm sorry, I know no disappointment, ight, playa.

[layman]

It was fine I though. Pretty average.

Comparing to twilight seems harsh. That stuff isnt watchable.

[ThereBeDragons]

Faceless troopers beating and shooting random citizens for no reason?

It's fun, you know?

Government hosting an annual deathmatch to somehow remind citizens that a rebellion happened, and that rebellion is bad therefore don't join rebellions m'kay?

An annual reminder that the government can murder your children in front of you and there's nothing you can do about it... except thank them for not murdering more. Imprinting helplessness and all that.

I haven't read the books or watched the movies.

[Prosthetic Conscience]

I've only seen the 1st movie, and not read any of the books. What struck me was the mismatch between the high tech stuff they can do to control the Games (suddenly producing genetically created creatures for a bit of fun), and the low tech reliance on provinces to do their basic stuff like grow food and produce power, in inefficient ways more like the nineteenth century - which also makes the central state highly vulnerable when (as I believe happens next), the oppressed masses finally rise up.

It looked like it wanted to be 2 genres at once - the post-apocalyptic 'world has gone to shit' movie, and the 'anything can happen in the dazzling future' movie. And it relies on a set-up any self-respecting oligarchy would avoid - either use your tech to provide basic needs, and get rid of the dangerous masses, or give them a reason to not rebel.

[Zippo]

Anybody seen the movies?

Me, the first and the second were okay, but (so far) only the third one was really interesting. I saw it in the cinema and am surprised that they allowed kids from 12 years on to watch it, because it was almost a war-film. But I like the morally difficult scenes, which showed the kids that there is always war-propaganda on both sides. Most impressive was the attack by the rebels on the huge dam. They ran into the machine gun fire, knowing they they won´t survive and then they took boxes with explosives and destroyed the dam. In the reality this would be called "terrorism", but Katniss and her crew where happy and nobody asked questions how the innocent civilists suffer the failure of elictricity (f.e. in hospitals). And there was no morally hollywood-correction, just the war with all its different interpretations of truth.

I was really annoyed with these stuff throughout the movie...Is the book any better?

The movies are very closed to the books in my opinion. I read them.

[The Immortal Goon]

It was clearly meant for teenagers. Teenagers love to categorize themselves and other things. It's part of how they learn to understand the world. Nuance comes later.

A story about a society where each thing is neatly categorized and you can put yourself into one of the categories, then watching the categories interact not only speaks to their experience of middle school and high school; but it also reinforces how they understand the world. Bobby plays sports, so he's a jock. Amanda is pretty and bitchy, so she's a princess.

More broadly, this is something that was encouraged after production was able to diversify to a point that it could be, relatively customized.

[Dystopian Darkness]

I'm trying to see where's the news here. Did anyone expect "Hunger Games" to be any better than Twilight or other pop product designed to sell?

[mikema63]

People look for complexly developed political thought in the weirdest places.

[Frollein]

Actually, people yearn for an entertaining and intelligent story, but all they get is formulaic Hollywould crap, Save The Cat style.

[mikema63]

To recap, this is a story made for middle schoolers.

[Frollein]

What I don't understand is why adults watch and discuss these films and comprise a big part of the fanbase. It started with Harry Potter and I remember being WTF?? These are kids' books, how can adults be fans?

[mikema63]

Not everything people enjoy has to be intellectually taxing, sometimes we just need a mental nap.