Turkish Delight!

Rating: 5/10 (11 August 2012)

The kind that Edmund was given by the White Witch – it tastes good initially, but it does not leave you with a good feeling.
This is a well-made film and it does the book justice; so much so that it throws a particular aspect of that book into stark relief. The ancient roman games were a visual spectacle and now that this film presents these 'Hunger' games as just that – a visual spectacle – there are questions that can no longer be left unasked.
When I read the book I had to ask myself whether the story justified the violence. I found myself unconvinced – my problem was that for so much of the book, the violence was the story. Now I have watched the film I find my lack of conviction goes further; I worry that story is there simply as a metaphor to enable the violence.
This is not a film about the horrors of a group of young children and teenagers forced into a gladiatorial arena; it is a film about that horrific gladiatorial combat.
The film, like the book, is careful in its portrayal of the combatants; with one exception we are prevented from getting to know any of them. And that one – well she is used almost callously, for a moment of poignancy – a moment of meaning to counterpoint the meaninglessness of the violence that is playing out all around. So we have the death of Rue. She is killed and Katniss kills her killer. There is sorrow and sadness. Katniss sings to Rue and the body is laid to rest amongst flowers. But what of the young boy, he was only doing what was forced upon him – he was simply striving to live. No tears were shed for him. Of course not, he and the other 'red shirts' had to die. "Bread and Circuses," I can almost hear the cry.
Ultimately everyone who watches this must find their own truths. I hope they will ask themselves why they watched and more importantly, how they feel about their reactions to this film. For me the real horror would be to hear that people enjoyed the killing and the violence.