Reality TV is the opiate of masses

The Hunger Games

CAST: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Wes Bentley, Willow Shields

DIRECTOR: Gary Ross RATING: ★★★

Like many science-fiction stories, The

Hunger Games portrays a future that we’re invited to read as a parable for the present. After the existing nations of North America are destroyed by catastrophe, a civilisation named Panem rises from the ruins. It’s ruled by a vast and wealthy Capitol inspired by the covers of countless sci-fi magazines and surrounded by 12 “districts”, which are powerless satellites. As the story opens, the annual ritual of the Hunger Games is beginning; each district must supply a “tribute” of a young woman and man, and these 24 finalists must fight to the death in a forested “arena” where hidden cameras capture every move.

This results in a television production that apparently holds the nation spellbound and keeps the citizens content. Mrs Link, my high school Latin teacher, will be proud that I recall one of her Daily Phrases,

panem et circenses, which summarised the Roman formula for creating a docile population: Give them bread and circuses. A vision of present-day America is summoned up, its citizenry glutted with fast food and distracted by reality TV. How is the population expected to accept the violent sacrifice of 24 young lives a year? How many have died in our recent wars?

The story centres on the two Tributes from the dirtpoor District 12: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). The 16-year-old girl hunts deer with bow and arrow to feed her family; he may be hunkier, but seems no match in survival skills. They’re both clean-cut allPanem types, and although one or both are eventually required to be dead, romance is a possibility.

Katniss volunteers to take the place of her 12-year-old kid sister, Prim (Willow Shields), but no one explicitly discusses the fairness of deadly combat between girl children and 18-yearold men.

The Hunger Games is an effective entertainment, and Jennifer Lawrence is strong and convincing. But the film leapfrogs obvious questions in its path and avoids the opportunities sci-fi provides for social criticism.

By arrangement with Asia Features