“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire“ hits theaters Nov. 22, 2013. The second movie in the franchise continues the story of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) as they’re dethroned from their respective victory riches and forced back into the arena for the most climactic and menacing of the Hunger Games, known as the Quarter Quell.
How will the book compare to the movie? Maybe we can grab a few clues from Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency, who opines on some of the shortcomings of “The Hunger Games” movie, as well as a few things the film actually did BETTER than the book, such as the scene where the three remaining players are trapped on top of the cornucopia.
“An emotionally distraught Cato laments the fact that all he knows about life is killing,” says Sarkeesian. “He realizes that he isn’t going to emerge victorious, and we see his carefully constructed, entitled reality fall to pieces. We are given a glimpse of the human being underneath the learned savagery. During this interaction, Cato turns towards the sky taunting the game makers and the capitol, saying are we giving you a good show, in a desperate and unhinged voice. This is a critical humanizing moment that illustrates the twisted brutality of the games and its emotional impact on even the most ruthless players.”
She notes that the scene is in stark contrast to the novel, in which Cato is completely dehumanized from beginning to end. “I’m really glad the film made this change, but I wish they had also humanized the other career tributes, at least a little bit.”
“The Hunger Games” is one of the few books I’ve actually read before seeing the movie, and it was worth the time (of which I have precious little, as most of my time is spent running Reel Life With Jane). I recommend reading “The Hunger Games” books before seeing the films, and Sarkeesian agrees with me.
“I think overall and in comparison to the rest of what Hollywood has to offer, Katniss is one of the best young female characters I’ve seen on screen in a long time,” she says.
Watch her take on “The Hunger Games” movie versus the book below, and check out more Hollywood videos at Blip.tv.
