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===Racial bias===
===Racial bias===
{{quote box|quote=Why does rue have to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the movie.|source=—Tweet by a user describing racial bias against Amandla Stenberg's portrayal of Rue, as reported by Dodai Stewart of [[Jezebel (website)|Jezebel]], March 26, 2012<ref name="Jezebel"/>|width=250px}}
{{quote box|quote=Why does rue have to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the movie.|source=—Tweet by a user describing racial bias against Amandla Stenberg's portrayal of Rue, as reported by Dodai Stewart of [[Jezebel (website)|Jezebel]], March 26, 2012<ref name="Jezebel"/>|width=250px}}
In an article published March 26, 2012, Dodai Stewart reported that several users on [[Twitter]] posted racist tweets, criticizing the portrayals of Rue, Thresh, and Cinna by African American actors. Stewart states that "[i]t's not just a coupe of tweets, it's not just a coincidence. There's an underlying rage, coming out as overt prejudice and plain old racism. [Amandla] Sternberg is called a 'black bitch,' a 'nigger' and one person writes that though he pictured Rue with 'darker skin,' he 'didn't really take it all the way to black.' It's as if that is the worst possible thing a person could be.<ref name="Jezebel">{{citation|author=Dodai Stewart|title=Racist Hunger Games Fans Are Very Disappointed|publisher=[[Jezebel (website)|Jezebel]]|date=2012-03-26|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref> Stewart also addresses the fact that while a number of these users claim to be fans of the book, none acknowledge the fact that both Rue and Thresh are described by author Suzanne Collins as having "dark brown skin."<ref name="Jezebel"/> Stewart also points to the fact that in a 2011 interview with ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', Collins stated that while she did not have any ethnic background in mind for lead characters Katniss and Gale due to the fact that the book is written in "a time period where hundreds of years have passed" and that there would be "a lot of ethnic mixing", she explains "there are some characters in the book who are more specifically described", and states that both Rue and Thresh are African American.<ref>{{citation|author=Karen Valby|title=Team 'Hunger Games' talks: Author Suzanne Collins and director Gary Ross on their allegiance to each other, and their actors -- EXCLUSIVE|newspaper=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=2011-04-07|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref>
In an article published March 26, 2012, Dodai Stewart reported that several users on [[Twitter]] posted [[Racism|racist]] tweets, criticizing the portrayals of Rue, Thresh and Cinna by [[African American]] actors. Stewart states that "[i]t's not just a coupe of tweets, it's not just a coincidence. There's an underlying rage, coming out as overt prejudice and plain old racism. [Amandla] Sternberg is called a 'black bitch,' a '[[nigger]]' and one person writes that though he pictured Rue with 'darker skin,' he 'didn't really take it all the way to black.' It's as if that is the worst possible thing a person could be."<ref name="Jezebel">{{citation|author=Dodai Stewart|title=Racist Hunger Games Fans Are Very Disappointed|publisher=[[Jezebel (website)|Jezebel]]|date=2012-03-26|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref> Stewart also addresses the fact that while a number of these users claim to be fans of the book, none acknowledge the fact that both Rue and Thresh are described by author Suzanne Collins as having "dark brown skin."<ref name="Jezebel"/> Stewart also points to the fact that in a 2011 interview with ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', Collins stated that while she did not have any ethnic background in mind for lead characters Katniss and Gale due to the fact that the book is written in "a time period where hundreds of years have passed" and that there would be "a lot of ethnic mixing", she explains "there are some characters in the book who are more specifically described", and states that both Rue and Thresh are African American.<ref>{{citation|author=Karen Valby|title=Team 'Hunger Games' talks: Author Suzanne Collins and director Gary Ross on their allegiance to each other, and their actors -- EXCLUSIVE|newspaper=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=2011-04-07|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref>


Fahima Haque of ''[[The Washington Post]]'', Bim Adewunmi of ''[[The Guardian]]'', and Christopher Rosen of ''[[The Huffington Post]]'' all reiterate the fact that Rue and Thresh are described in ''The Hunger Games'' as having dark brown skin, as well as Collins assertion that they were intended to be depicted as African Americans.<ref name="WP">{{citation|author=Fahima Haque|title=‘The Hunger Games’ elicits racist reactions|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/the-hunger-games-elicits-racist-reactions/2012/03/28/gIQANOVrgS_blog.html?tid=pm_local_pop|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref><ref name="TG">{{citation|author=Bim Adewunmi|title='Why wasn't The Hunger Games cast as I imagined in my racist reading?!'|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/mar/28/hunger-games-cast-racist-imagined?newsfeed=true|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref><ref name="THP">{{citation|author=Christopher Rosen|title='Hunger Games' Racist Tweets: Fans Upset Because Of Rue's Race|newspaper=[[The Huffington Post]]|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/hunger-games-racist-tweets-rue_n_1380377.html?ref=books&ir=Books|date=2012-03-26|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref> Adewunmi remarked that "it comes to this: if the casting of Rue, Thresh and Cinna has left you bewildered and upset, consider two things. One: you may be a racist – congrats! Two: you definitely lack basic reading comprehension. Mazel tov!"<ref name="TG"/> Haque observed: "the real insanely horrible, awful problem is just that is an example of pure racism. It’s downright disgusting that at a time when other decent Americans are mourning the loss of [[Shooting of Trayvon Martin|Trayvon Martin]], who was senselessly murdered last month, these readers have no qualms with publicly saying that black people ruined their movie experience."<ref name="WP"/> Erik Kain of ''[[Forbes]]'' saw the controversy as a way to appreciate the value of free speech. He states that while society may never be free of racism, "[r]acist comments made on Facebook and Twitter quickly become public record. Aggregations of these comments, like the Jezebel piece, expose people for what they are. Sure, many hide under the cloak of anonymity, but many others cannot or choose not to. And as the internet becomes more civilized and its denizens more accountable, this sort of thing carries more and more weight."<ref>{{citation|author=Erik Kain|title=Racist Reaction To 'The Hunger Games' Reminds Us That Free Speech Is A Good Thing|newspaper=[[Forbes]]|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref> Amandla Stenberg responded to the controversy with the following statement: "As a fan of the books, I feel fortunate to be part of The Hunger Games family... It was an amazing experience; I am proud of the film and my performance. I want to thank all of my fans and the entire Hunger Games community for their support and loyalty."<ref>{{citation|author=Justin Ravitz|title=The Hunger Games' Amandla Stenberg Responds to Racist Tweet Scandal|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/the-hunger-games-amandla-stenberg-responds-to-racist-tweet-scandal-2012283#ixzz1qUNJgKYh|newspaper=[[US Weekly]]|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref>
Fahima Haque of ''[[The Washington Post]]'', Bim Adewunmi of ''[[The Guardian]]'', and Christopher Rosen of ''[[The Huffington Post]]'' all reiterate the fact that Rue and Thresh are described in ''The Hunger Games'' as having dark brown skin, as well as Collins assertion that they were intended to be depicted as African Americans.<ref name="WP">{{citation|author=Fahima Haque|title=‘The Hunger Games’ elicits racist reactions|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/the-hunger-games-elicits-racist-reactions/2012/03/28/gIQANOVrgS_blog.html?tid=pm_local_pop|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref><ref name="TG">{{citation|author=Bim Adewunmi|title='Why wasn't The Hunger Games cast as I imagined in my racist reading?!'|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/mar/28/hunger-games-cast-racist-imagined?newsfeed=true|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref><ref name="THP">{{citation|author=Christopher Rosen|title='Hunger Games' Racist Tweets: Fans Upset Because Of Rue's Race|newspaper=[[The Huffington Post]]|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/hunger-games-racist-tweets-rue_n_1380377.html?ref=books&ir=Books|date=2012-03-26|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref> Adewunmi remarked that "it comes to this: if the casting of Rue, Thresh and Cinna has left you bewildered and upset, consider two things. One: you may be a racist – congrats! Two: you definitely lack basic reading comprehension. Mazel tov!"<ref name="TG"/> Haque observed: "the real insanely horrible, awful problem is just that is an example of pure racism. It’s downright disgusting that at a time when other decent Americans are mourning the loss of [[Shooting of Trayvon Martin|Trayvon Martin]], who was senselessly murdered last month, these readers have no qualms with publicly saying that [[black people]] ruined their movie experience."<ref name="WP"/> Erik Kain of ''[[Forbes]]'' saw the controversy as a way to appreciate the value of free speech. He states that while society may never be free of racism, "[r]acist comments made on Facebook and Twitter quickly become public record. Aggregations of these comments, like the Jezebel piece, expose people for what they are. Sure, many hide under the cloak of anonymity, but many others cannot or choose not to. And as the internet becomes more civilized and its denizens more accountable, this sort of thing carries more and more weight."<ref>{{citation|author=Erik Kain|title=Racist Reaction To 'The Hunger Games' Reminds Us That Free Speech Is A Good Thing|newspaper=[[Forbes]]|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref> Amandla Stenberg responded to the controversy with the following statement: "As a fan of the books, I feel fortunate to be part of The Hunger Games family... It was an amazing experience; I am proud of the film and my performance. I want to thank all of my fans and the entire Hunger Games community for their support and loyalty."<ref>{{citation|author=Justin Ravitz|title=The Hunger Games' Amandla Stenberg Responds to Racist Tweet Scandal|url=http://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/the-hunger-games-amandla-stenberg-responds-to-racist-tweet-scandal-2012283#ixzz1qUNJgKYh|newspaper=[[US Weekly]]|date=2012-03-28|accessdate=2012-03-28}}</ref>


===Accolades===
===Accolades===

Revision as of 18:51, 29 March 2012

The Hunger Games
Theatrical release poster
Directed byGary Ross
Screenplay by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyTom Stern
Edited by
Music byJames Newton Howard
Production
companies
Distributed byLionsgate
Release dates
  • March 21, 2012 (2012-03-21) (Belgium, France,
    Netherlands, Philippines)
  • March 23, 2012 (2012-03-23) (United States)
Running time
142 minutes[1][2]
CountryTemplate:Film US
LanguageEnglish
Budget$78 million[3]
Box office$232,957,733[4]

The Hunger Games is a 2012 American dystopian science fiction action-drama film directed by Gary Ross and based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson and Elizabeth Banks.[5] It was released on March 21, 2012 in France and other countries[6] and internationally on March 23, 2012[7] in both conventional theaters and digital IMAX theaters.[8] The film currently holds the record for the third best opening weekend box office sales of any movie ($155 million) in North America behind The Dark Knight ($158 million) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 ($169 million).[9] and the biggest for a non-sequel. It was well received by critics, who praised Lawrence's performance and its themes and messages, whilst it was mildly criticized for its watered-down violence and its filming style.

Plot

The Hunger Games takes place in a nation known as Panem after the destruction of North America by some unknown apocalyptic event. Panem consists of a wealthy Capitol and twelve surrounding, poorer districts. District 12, where the book begins, is located in the coal mine region that was formerly known as Appalachia.

As punishment for a previous rebellion against the Capitol in which a 13th district was destroyed, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are selected by annual lottery to participate in the Hunger Games, an event in which the participants (or "tributes") must fight in an outdoor arena controlled by the Capitol, until only one remains. The story follows 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen, a girl from District 12 who volunteers for the 74th annual Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Primrose. Also selected from District 12 is Peeta Mellark, a baker's son whom Katniss knows from school, who once gave her bread when her family was starving.

Katniss and Peeta are taken to the Capitol, located in the former Rockies, where their drunken mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, victor of the 50th Hunger Games, instructs them to watch and learn the talents of the other tributes. They are then publicly displayed to the Capitol audience in a televised session with interviewer Caesar Flickerman. During this time, Peeta reveals on-air his long-time unrequited love for Katniss. Katniss believes this to be a ploy to gain audience support for the Games, which can be crucial for survival, as audience members are encouraged to send gifts like food, medicine, and tools to favored tributes during the Games. The Games begin with 11 of the 24 tributes killed in the first day, while Katniss relies on her well-practiced hunting and outdoor skills to survive. As the games continue, the tribute death toll increases. A few days later, Katniss develops an alliance with Rue, a 12-year-old girl from the agricultural District 11 who reminds Katniss of her sister Prim. The alliance is short-lived: Rue is killed by another tribute. At Rue's request Katniss sings to her, then spreads flowers over her body as a sign of respect — and of rebellion against the Capitol. All this is aired on TV, sparking a rebellion in District 11.

Supposedly due to Katniss and Peeta's beloved image in the minds of the audience as "star-crossed lovers", a rule change is announced midway through the Games, stating that two tributes from the same district can win the Hunger Games as a pair. Upon hearing this, Katniss searches for Peeta and eventually finds him, wounded by a sword. As she nurses him back to health, she acts the part of a young girl falling in love to gain more favor with the audience and, consequently, gifts from her sponsors. When the couple are finally the last two tributes, the Gamemakers reverse the rule change in an attempt to force them into a dramatic finale, where one must kill the other to win. Katniss, knowing that the Gamemakers would rather have two victors than none, retrieves highly poisonous berries known as "nightlock" from her pouch and offers some to Peeta. Upon realizing that Katniss and Peeta intend to commit suicide, the Gamemakers announce that both will be the victors of the 74th Hunger Games.

Although she survives the ordeal in the arena and is treated to a hero's welcome in the Capitol, Katniss is warned by Haymitch that she has now become a political target after defying her society's authoritarian leaders so publicly. As Katniss and Peeta return to District 12, President Snow watches the hero's welcome they receive - thinking of what to do about the joint victors and the rebellion they have started.

Cast

See also: List of The Hunger Games characters

Lionsgate confirmed in March 2011, that about 30 female actors either met or read for the role of Katniss, including Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin, Emma Roberts, Saoirse Ronan, Chloë Moretz, Lyndsy Fonseca, Emily Browning, Shailene Woodley and Kaya Scodelario.[3][20] On March 16, 2011, it was announced that Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence of the indie film Winter's Bone landed the coveted role.[21] Though Lawrence was 20, four years older than the character,[22] author Suzanne Collins said that the actress who plays Katniss has to have "a certain maturity and power" and said she would rather the actress be older than younger.[23] Collins states that Lawrence was the "only one who truly captured the character I wrote in the book" and that she had "every essential quality necessary to play Katniss."[24] Lawrence, a fan of the books, took three days to accept the role.[3] Lawrence was initially intimidated by the size of the movie and what it may mean for her fame.[3][25]

According to The Hollywood Reporter, contenders for the role of Peeta other than Hutcherson included Alexander Ludwig (who was later cast as Cato), Hunter Parrish, Lucas Till, and Evan Peters.[26] Other actors considered for the role of Gale included David Henrie, Drew Roy, and Robbie Amell.[26] In April 2011, John C. Reilly was in talks with Lions Gate Entertainment to portray Haymitch Abernathy, former victor of a Hunger Games held years before and mentor to Katniss and Peeta.[27] The following month Lionsgate announced that the role went to Oscar nominee Woody Harrelson.[12]

Production

Jennifer Lawrence was ultimately cast as Katniss, and dyed her hair brown for the part.

Lions Gate Entertainment acquired worldwide distribution rights in March 2009 with Nina Jacobson's production company Color Force.[28][29] Collins adapted the novel for film herself,[29] and her script was revised by screenwriter Billy Ray.[30] Collins anticipated the film to have a PG-13 rating.[31] Alli Shearmur, Lionsgate President of Motion Picture Production, and Jim Miller, Lionsgate Senior Vice President of Motion Picture Production, were in charge of overseeing the production of the movie. Shearmur said:

"The Hunger Games is an incredible property and it is a thrill to bring it home to Lionsgate. This is exactly the kind of movie I came to Lionsgate to make: youthful, exciting, smart and edgy. We are looking forward to working with Nina and Suzanne to create a movie that satisfies audiences' hunger for high-quality entertainment."[32]

Gary Ross became the director in November 2010.[33][34] Fireman's Fund Insurance Company insured the production, but as part of the underwriting process insisted on a thorough risk analysis of hazards as diverse as wayward arrows, poison ivy, bears, bugs, and a chase across fast-running water.[35]

With an initial budget of $75 million,[36] principal photography began near Brevard in Transylvania County, North Carolina in Western North Carolina in May 2011[37] and concluded on September 15, 2011, with a final budget reported as between $90 and $100 million, reduced to $78 million after subsidies.[1][3] Director Steven Soderbergh served as a second unit director.[38]

Lawrence dyed her blonde hair brown for the part of Katniss.[39] She also underwent extensive training to get in shape for the role, including archery, rock and tree climbing, combat, running, parkour, and yoga,[40] and experienced an accident on the last day of her six week training phase, in which she hit a wall while running at full speed, but was not seriously injured. Other stars that dyed their hair for the movie include Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale. [3] Lionsgate hired archer (and Olympic bronze medalist) Khatuna Lorig to teach Lawrence how to shoot.[35]

The film has been rated 12A by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) in the UK for "intense threat, moderate violence and occasional gory moments".[2] To achieve that rating, Lionsgate had to cut or substitute seven seconds of film by "digitally removing blood splashes and the sight of blood on wounds and weapons".[41] In the United States, the movie was granted a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)[42] for "intense violent thematic material and disturbing images - all involving teens".

Music

Soundtrack

Main article: The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond

The soundtrack for the The Hunger Games contains songs inspired by the film; only three of them appear in the film itself, during the closing credits.[43] The first single from the film's companion album, "Safe & Sound" by Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars, was released on December 23, 2011.[44] It reached number one on the iTunes overall charts in 12 hours.[citation needed] The music video for "Safe & Sound" was released on February 13, 2012. Along with separate songs from Swift and The Civil Wars, the soundtrack also features songs by The Decemberists, Arcade Fire, The Secret Sisters, Miranda Lambert featuring The Pistol Annies,[45] Neko Case,[46] Kid Cudi[45] Academy Award winner Glen Hansard,[45] The Low Anthem,[45] Punch Brothers,[45] Birdy,[45] Maroon 5, Jayme Dee,[45] and Carolina Chocolate Drops.[45] The soundtrack was released on March 20, 2012.[47] The soundtrack track list was revealed on iTunes on February 13, 2012, and on the 14th "One Engine" was released as the second single. Jennifer Lawrence singing "Rue's Lullaby" was not included on the soundtrack.

Score

Lionsgate originally announced that Danny Elfman and T-Bone Burnett would score The Hunger Games, with Burnett also acting as the film's executive music producer to produce songs for the soundtrack.[48] However, due to scheduling conflicts, Elfman was later replaced by James Newton Howard.[49] The score album was released on March 26, 2012.[50]

Other

The movie also featured a rather obscure analog track from the 1970's composed by Laurie Spiegel for its "cornucopia scene."[51]

Reception

Critical response

The Hunger Games received generally positive reviews from critics. Based on 226 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an 85% "Certified Fresh" rating and an average score of 7.3/10. The film earned an 80% score from 'Top Critics'. The site's consensus reads "Thrilling and superbly acted, The Hunger Games captures the dramatic violence, raw emotion, and ambitious scope of its source novel".[52] On Metacritic, the film has a 67 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on reviews from 44 critics.[53]

Many critics have praised Jennifer Lawrence for her portrayal as Katniss Everdeen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she embodies Katniss, "just as one might imagine her from the novel".[54] Empire magazine said "Lawrence is perfect as Katniss, there's very little softness about her, more a melancholy determination that good must be done even if that requires bad things."[54] Several critics have reviewed the film favourably compared to other young-adult fiction adaptations such as Harry Potter and Twilight. Justin Craig of Fox News rated the film as "Excellent" and stated, "Move over Harry Potter. A darker, more mature franchise has come to claim your throne."[55] Rafer Guzman of Newsday referred to The Hunger Games as being "darker than 'Harry Potter,' more sophisticated than 'Twilight'."[56] David Sexton of The Evening Standard stated that The Hunger Games "is well cast and pretty well acted, certainly when compared to Harry Potter’s juvenile leads."[57]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three stars out of four, praising the movie as "effective entertaininment" and Jennifer Lawrence's performance. Despite being a largely positive review, he criticized the film for being too long and noted that the film avoided any attempt at social criticism.[58]

Simon Reynolds of Digital Spy gave the film four stars out of five, calling it "enthralling from beginning to end, science fiction that has depth and intelligence to match its pulse-racing entertainment value". Reynolds also spoke highly of Lawrence's performance and director Gary Ross, whose "rough and ready handheld camerawork" meant that viewers were "with Katniss for every blood-flecked moment of her ordeal in the combat arena".[59]

Eric Goldman of IGN awarded the film four out of five stars, stating that director Gary Ross "gets the tone of The Hunger Games right. This is a grounded, thoughtful and sometimes quite emotional film, with its dark scenario given due weight. Ross doesn't give the film a glossy, romanticized 'Hollywood' feel, but rather plays everything very realistically and stark, as Katniss must endure these outrageous and horrible scenarios." The film received some criticism for its shaky camera style, but it was said to "add to the film in certain ways." Both Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson were praised for their portrayals as Katniss and Peeta, and Goldman also drew attention to the role reversal of sorts between the male and female leads, as well as the fact that Lawrence is taller than Hutcherson, which is rare in such films. Katniss is seen as more of a "classic hero figure" and Peeta is the one who needs to be protected. Ross was criticized due to his lack of experience with action films, but in general, Goldman felt that viewers would enjoy the film regardless of whether they had read the book.[60]

During the weekend of "The Hunger Games" release, Isabelle Fuhrman's name became a popular subject to browse on the Internet due to her chilling portrayal of "Clove", many critics praising her acting, making her a break-out star. [61] The Atlantic argues that the film stands a better chance at being nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 did, comparing it to The Dark Knight in the way that they "are not only startlingly somber twists on the standard blockbuster, but offer resonant commentary about society, particularly government control and corruption. They are crowd-pleasers with something to say. And the Academy loves saying something."[62]

Precedents in film and literature

Charles McGrath, writing for The New York Times, said that the film will remind viewers of the television series Survivor, a little of The Bachelorette, and of the short story "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson published in 1948 by The New Yorker.[63] David Sexton of The Evening Standard compared The Hunger Games unfavourably to Kinji Fukasaku's Japanese film Battle Royale, as did several other critics;[57][64][65][66][67] the novel had earlier faced criticism for its similarities to the novel Battle Royale by Kōshun Takami.[68] Wheeler Winston Dixon, a film professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, listed several precedents: Battle Royale, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery", William Golding's Lord of the Flies, Metropolis, Blade Runner, Death Race 2000, and George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.[69]

Manohla Dargis in The New York Times compares it to Battle Royale, Ender's Game, and Twilight, but contrasts The Hunger Games in terms of how its "exciting" female protagonist Katniss "rescues herself with resourcefulness, guts and true aim."[70] Steve Rose of The Guardian refers to the film as "think Battle Royale meets The Running Man meets Survivor."[71] Writing in The Atlantic, Govindini Murty made a list of touchstones the film alludes to, from the ancient Greek, Roman and Egyptian civilizations to modern references such as the Great Depression, the Vietnam and Iraq Wars, and reality television.[72]

Box office

On February 22, 2012, The Hunger Games broke the record for first-day advanced ticket sales on Fandango, topping the previous record of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, set on May 14, 2010. The sales were reported to be 83 percent of the site's totals for the day.[73] In the week leading up to its release, the film sold-out over 4,300 showings via Fandango and MovieTickets.com[74] On Fandango alone it ranks as the third-highest advanced ticket seller ever behind The Twilight Saga: New Moon and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.[75] The film earned $19.7 million in midnight showings, which was the highest midnight gross ever for a non-sequel and the seventh highest midnight gross of all-time.[76] On its opening day, it earned $67.3 million (including midnight showings). This set the record opening-day and single-day grosses for a non-sequel, topping the previous records of Alice in Wonderland ($40.8 million and $44.2 million respectively).[77] The film also achieved the fifth highest opening-day and single-day grosses of all time.[78][79][80] On its opening weekend, it earned $152.5 million, topping Alice in Wonderland's records ($116.1 million) for the highest weekend debut of a film released in March, of a non-sequel, and of any spring release.[81][82][83][84] Its opening weekend gross was also the largest for any film released outside July and the third-largest of all time behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 ($169.2 million) and The Dark Knight ($158.4 million).[85] Two days after the film was released, it became Lionsgate's highest grossing film ever.[84]

Outside North America, the film earned $59.25 million on its opening weekend.[86] Its largest country was Australia ($9.48 million).[87][88]

Racial bias

Why does rue have to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the movie.

—Tweet by a user describing racial bias against Amandla Stenberg's portrayal of Rue, as reported by Dodai Stewart of Jezebel, March 26, 2012[89]

In an article published March 26, 2012, Dodai Stewart reported that several users on Twitter posted racist tweets, criticizing the portrayals of Rue, Thresh and Cinna by African American actors. Stewart states that "[i]t's not just a coupe of tweets, it's not just a coincidence. There's an underlying rage, coming out as overt prejudice and plain old racism. [Amandla] Sternberg is called a 'black bitch,' a 'nigger' and one person writes that though he pictured Rue with 'darker skin,' he 'didn't really take it all the way to black.' It's as if that is the worst possible thing a person could be."[89] Stewart also addresses the fact that while a number of these users claim to be fans of the book, none acknowledge the fact that both Rue and Thresh are described by author Suzanne Collins as having "dark brown skin."[89] Stewart also points to the fact that in a 2011 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Collins stated that while she did not have any ethnic background in mind for lead characters Katniss and Gale due to the fact that the book is written in "a time period where hundreds of years have passed" and that there would be "a lot of ethnic mixing", she explains "there are some characters in the book who are more specifically described", and states that both Rue and Thresh are African American.[90]

Fahima Haque of The Washington Post, Bim Adewunmi of The Guardian, and Christopher Rosen of The Huffington Post all reiterate the fact that Rue and Thresh are described in The Hunger Games as having dark brown skin, as well as Collins assertion that they were intended to be depicted as African Americans.[91][92][93] Adewunmi remarked that "it comes to this: if the casting of Rue, Thresh and Cinna has left you bewildered and upset, consider two things. One: you may be a racist – congrats! Two: you definitely lack basic reading comprehension. Mazel tov!"[92] Haque observed: "the real insanely horrible, awful problem is just that is an example of pure racism. It’s downright disgusting that at a time when other decent Americans are mourning the loss of Trayvon Martin, who was senselessly murdered last month, these readers have no qualms with publicly saying that black people ruined their movie experience."[91] Erik Kain of Forbes saw the controversy as a way to appreciate the value of free speech. He states that while society may never be free of racism, "[r]acist comments made on Facebook and Twitter quickly become public record. Aggregations of these comments, like the Jezebel piece, expose people for what they are. Sure, many hide under the cloak of anonymity, but many others cannot or choose not to. And as the internet becomes more civilized and its denizens more accountable, this sort of thing carries more and more weight."[94] Amandla Stenberg responded to the controversy with the following statement: "As a fan of the books, I feel fortunate to be part of The Hunger Games family... It was an amazing experience; I am proud of the film and my performance. I want to thank all of my fans and the entire Hunger Games community for their support and loyalty."[95]

Accolades

Award Category Result Recipient Source
NewNowNext Awards 2012 Next Mega Star Pending Josh Hutcherson [96]

Sequels

On August 8, 2011, while still shooting the film, Lionsgate announced that a film adaptation of the second novel in The Hunger Games trilogy, Catching Fire, is scheduled to be released on November 22, 2013.[97] In November 2011, Lionsgate entered negotiations with Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours screenwriter Simon Beaufoy to adapt the novel for screen, since the post-production schedule for The Hunger Games was too crowded for Ross and Collins to adapt the next film as originally planned. Ross was still expected to return as director for the sequel.[98] In January 2012, Ross and Beaufoy were officially signed on to their roles as director and screenwriter, respectively.[99]

Woody Harrelson revealed in a November 2011 interview that he has signed on for four films, suggesting that one of the books may be split into two films.[100] The February 2012 issue of The Hollywood Reporter indicated that Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth have all signed on to the whole franchise.[3]

The Hunger Games Adventures

A social network game called The Hunger Games Adventures was released for Facebook to coincide with the film's release. It is a role-playing video game developed by Lionsgate in coalition with Funtactix.[101]

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