I will proceed by discussing the setting and symbolism of the movie.
The description is set in North America, the wealthy Capitol of Panem, a universe in a dystopian setting that contains 12 impoverished districts. Students are forced to fight until death by selecting a boy and a girl, called Tributes, to compete in a nationally televised event called the Hunger Games. The character Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), has little to rely on, other than her hunting skills and sharp instincts, in an arena where she must weigh survival against love. Katniss is one of 2 daughters, Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields) and mother (Ashley Judd) and father. One of Katniss’ skills is a deadeye archer who never misses. She provides for her family as she shoots animals in exchange for food and supplies. This is a skill you will later read about and works to Katniss's advantage. Katniss isn’t your typical girl who wants to be the center of attention, who wants to save the world, or who wants everyone to be equal. She’s a girl who wants to be left alone. Katniss has other attributes but it can sometimes hinder her performances while trying to defeat the Hunger Games. Katniss is willing to go above and beyond for those she cares about, even volunteering for The Hunger Games to keep her sister out of the game, there is no bigger sacrifice than that. Katniss is afraid for her family, especially her little sister.
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Every year, students ages 12-18 years old, from the districts are selected via lottery to participate in a compulsory televised battle royale death match called The Hunger Games. The winning tribute and his/her home district are then rewarded with food, supplies, and riches. The purpose of the Hunger Games is to provide entertainment for the Capitol and to remind the people living in the districts of the Capitol's power and lack of anguish and repentance, forgetfulness, and forgiveness for the failed rebellion of the current competitors' ancestors. Snow is the President of the Hunger Games and is paranoid about Katniss’s abilities and strengths. Snow tries to overemphasize Katniss's importance and makes it worse but it doesn’t stop her from getting in the face of every authority figure she encounters.
Before the events of the story, 13 districts eventually rose in rebellion, led by District 13. The Capitol was able to put down the rebellion, and District 13 was razed to the ground. However, the rebellion was not the end of the story, and the current dictator of Panem upholds a yearly tradition to remind the remaining districts of their violent past, called 'The Dark Days'. Twenty-four are chosen but only one will become the winner. It’s a fight-to-the-death contest in a badland jungle arena controlled by unseen arbitrators in a war room of personalities. The games are broadcast on large screens, similar to projections, so members of each district can watch the fates of their representatives. The event is hosted by a television game show host/MC, Claudius Templesmith (Stanley Tucci), who makes Richard Dawson (of Family Feud fame) seem like a high-cultured gentleman. 'And may the odds be ever in your favor!' is the motto of the Games.
Primrose Everdeen (Willow Shields), Katniss' sister to participate. Katniss offers to volunteer for the Games in her sister's stead. Since this is the first time someone has ever volunteered, the proposition is accepted by the State. The other tribute from District 9 is Peeta Mallark (Josh Hutcherson). Katniss and Peeta are chaperoned by Effie Trinket to the Capitol on a bullet train. There they meet their mentor, Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), winner of the Hunger Games many years previously. He is a trainer and instructor for Katniss and Peeta, but his highest priority seems to be drinking and snoozing every chance he gets. To defeat the other divisions, he needs to get sober soon to coach Katniss and Peeta to victory. Eventually, Katniss and Peeta finesse and convince Abernathy that they are worth helping.
Once at the Capitol, they have pranced in front of the elite residents who cheer and decide which tributes they wish to root for. The tributes are then brought to a training facility, being told not to 'hurt' any of the other tributes. They say there will be plenty of time for violent engagement relatively soon. They are treated like celebrities about to embark on a fashion pageant, being given beautiful outfits to wear during interviews. Of course, everyone knows the outcome of the pageant means 23 of the 24 tributes will not survive. Eventually, on a fateful day, the 24 tributes are transported to the arena-wilderness area where food and weapons are strewn about which can be used to better someone's chances. We also learn that the game is also 'rigged'. The control room doesn't just monitor the tributes but has the power to influence situations. There are also 'sponsors', Capitol residents, who can aid tributes they like. This story has become more relevant with the rise of 'fake news' and distrust of television journalism with distorted media that we encounter every day. It’s a fight for survival, a struggle to succeed, and benefit someone or something world we live in.
Overall, it’s a well-done, symbolic comparison view of The Maze Runner by James Dashner, in a tale of survival in a world where teenagers fight for their lives daily. An insubstantial oasis in the middle of an enormous maze where it’s survival of the fittest. Exploring the maze during the day and defeating it at night. No one knows how to get out and no one remembers how they got there. James Dashner will keep you on your feet and in suspense mode throughout the movie. Another symbolic movie is a bleak future which rings of Orwell's '1984' and the 1970's cult classic 'Roller Ball'. In 'Rollerball' two teams battle skating against each other on a rink. In the final game, players can only leave the game if they're killed, which is essentially the same idea as 'The Hunger Games'. The film finds a good balance between the callousness of the competition (if the competition is what you want to call it) and the emotions of the characters. At one point, Katniss befriends a young girl, Rue (Amandla Stenberg), who is too young to be part of the games. They become allies to help each other defend against another 'gang' who desires to kill them. One of the most touching, poignant, and compassionate moments of the film is their friendship and Rue's fate. Katniss sparked friendships with those she honestly cared about setting the stage for the heroism she’ll eventually become.
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