One of the more interesting things about The Hunger Games is the extremely shrewd casting of Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence. When she was cast in the first film back in March 2011, the actress was already an Oscar nominee for Winter's Bone and poised to become a respected young actress. However, with the release of the first film, she catapulted to fame. The film broke box office records and her performance was highly appreciated. And she had already become a part of the successful reboot of the X-Men franchise.
Many stars of these young adult franchises become big stars, like Harry Potter alums Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson or Twilight people Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson. However, Jennifer Lawrence's star power is next-level. Her fame is a concoction of her work in moneymaking franchises, critical acclaim enhanced by an Oscar win for Silver Linings Playbook, and general goodwill with the public through her "goofy gal" offscreen persona. Jennifer Lawrence is a true movie star in that everyone loves her and her goodwill translates to actual box office intake.
With Jennifer Lawrence as the star, the Hunger Games movies become more poignant than they would be with a different star. Because Katniss becomes the Mockingjay, the face of the rebellion, she is often forced into some sort of box. People on all sides of the war try to manipulate her but Katniss resists control from everyone. There is some real life reflection, with Lawrence's own impulsivity and defiance of categorization. Whether the filmmakers had an inkling that Lawrence's star potential would be stratospheric, I cannot tell you. At the time, she was just another indie actress who was cast in a relatively cheaply made adaptation of a young adult sci-fi fantasy adventure.
The Hunger Games may be a billion-dollar series, with the express purpose of making money through a familiar name. The film does aim to satirize or make a commentary on current Hollywood and media culture. I'm not the first person to point out the films' satirical look at how the media functions. However, the film is just so sharp. And sometimes it feels so of its time and politically relevant. Last year when Mockingjay Part 1 came out, the tragic events at Ferguson made the "if we burn, you burn with us" phrase much more effecrive. In Mockingjay Part 2, the horrific police brutality and refugee crisis give the film some extra bite. The Hunger Games never feels explotative or like its cashing in on real life tragedy. Instead, it provides an outlet and a voice to our frustrated country.
In my opinion, this entire series is an achievement. I know some people, however, took issue with Mockingjay Part 1 not having enough action. Even the climax of Mockingjay Part 2 (SPOILERS FYI) does not feature a large climactic battle. I think this may be disappointing to some people. We expect final movies in fantasy franchises to end with large battles (see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2). But the Hunger Games has always worn its franchise label with ironic quotation marks ("franchise"). It never aimed to please its audience viscerally with large action set-pieces, except through the morally objectionable Hunger Games themselves. By taking a critical look at action spectacle, the series does run the risk of making its audience complicit on the problems within the Panem system.
Let's look at a comparison: Jurassic World blames the audience's bloodlust on its need for new, bigger dinosaurs. The film really failed in its satire/commentary because it vilified the very people who paid to see the movie. In Hunger Games, however, the corrupt system and its politicians are the reason for the games and for the poverty and hunger. People are suffering because of those in power, not because the public wants bigger attractions. There's a difference, and the Hunger Games series is the more successful franchise for that reason.
With The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 in theaters, this brilliant satirical and relevant movie franchise comes to a close. Some people may find at least one of the installments of lesser quality than the other. In my opinion, however, each film really brings some new layers into this universe. Yes, Catching Fire is probably the best one, but the entire series is remarkable.
Like what you read? Please like my blog at Facebook.com/MathurMarquee. Also, follow me on Twitter @HippogriffRider. For more of my work, check out Horror Film Central. Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments below!
No comments:
Post a Comment