Ramblings about the Hunger Games

Why does the Hunger Games need to have a love triangle?  You’d think that attempting to survive a free for all kill-a-thon would have enough action and suspense to properly sustain a young adult novel but no, the main character needs to pick between two gentlemen suitors.  It seems so pointless to me.  The central plot of having teenagers kill each other for the amusement of adults is a horror story that needs no sappy love serial.  Rarely in media do we get to see children killed ( and by children no less) and it’s not done for a very good reason.  Seeing a child cut down before their prime is fucking depressing.  It never fails to put a real downer on the proceedings.  But the Hunger Games’ central conceit is the transgression of killing kids.  To me, that is compelling enough.  They could have made three movies of Katniss attempting to survive in the Hunger games arena, dodging murderous children and making the gut wrenching decision to kill friends, allies, and enemies alike to survive.  When she wins at the end, the question emerges if one can really win the Hunger Games (dun dun dun).  Her mind shattered, she leaves the arena a defeated woman relegated to becoming a distortion in future history books and oral tales.  The movie/series ends with her reading off the names of the next bunch of tributes as the games forever continue.  That is my perfect version of the Hunger Games rather than watching a rather pointless love triangle with two guys that just hold our beloved heroine back.

 If I was engaged in the world of the Hunger Games, I would like to live in the first two districts where the people are crazy about fighting in the games.  In these districts the teens usually volunteer for placement in the games and I would use this to my advantage.  Knowing this, I would simply wait for a proud fool to volunteer for the honor of killing twelve year olds from the mining district and slink into the background as a smart coward (in an ideal world I would live in the capitol, but beggars can’t be choosers).  Genius, I know.  I would repeat this process until I age out of the games, content with the quiet pride that comes with slightly beating the system.

As you can see, I’m not the biggest fan of the Hunger Games, yet for some reason I’ve seen both movies and will most likely see the third and fourth one because why not.  I believe that Katniss should have gotten with Woody Harrelson’s character because they had the most chemistry together on screen.  Woody Harrelson is just awesome.  Plus the whole pregnancy thing in the second movie was ridiculous on the part of the Capitol.  When Peeta announced that Katniss was pregnant, why didn’t the Capitol administer a pregnancy test to check the veracity of that bombshell claim?  When the Capitol proves that Katiness isn’t pregnant with a future archer/camouflage child, they could send out a massive propaganda campaign to discredit Katniss and brand her a liar.  Show the people the negative test for Christ sakes!  Her credibility decreases immensely and the Capitol wins their war with Katniss.  Done and done.  Capitol, if you’re hiring, I’m available.  Plus I look great in stupid facial hair.  I’d also like to meet Donald Sutherland.