“The Hunger Games”: the youth dystopian saga celebrated 10 years since its film debut

Suzanne Collins designed the fictional universe of a dystopia with the creation of Panem, a nation divided into 12 districts under the control of the Capitol, and told this story from the perspectives of teenagers. By way of punishment for a revolt that arose some time ago, these districts are obliged to select two tributes, a boy and a girl, every year to be taken to participate in the Hunger Games. The harshness of a hostile context and youth drama were brought to the cinema with the first adaptation, The Hunger Games, which premiered on March 23, 2012 in United States.

Jennifer Lawrence gives life to Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year-old girl from a poor family trained to hunt with bow. In one of the film's most memorable scenes, she volunteers to save her sister, Primrose, and becomes the teammate of Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) at the 74th Hunger Games. Under the guidance of Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) and Haymitch Abernathy (Woody Harrelson), his new mentor, both must prepare to stay alive and be victorious.

In this strange and sick world, the top of the most powerful people is looking forward to seeing from their TVs how young competitors will break their promises, abandon themselves along the way and do their best to win. Compassion will be the worst enemy, that is the lesson Katniss will learn on the battlefield, since one of the most remembered moments of this first film is her affection with little Rue and subsequent frustration when she is killed.

On the eve of what could be her death, she and Peeta develop a complicity that ended up enchanting viewers and President Coriolanus Snow (Donald Sutherland) himself. The books are largely based on the dynamics of both characters and the same effect happens in the film version, although the emotions between the two were always very complex to identify from the beginning.

In the unforgettable conclusion of The Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta assure that neither of them will have to kill the other if they both eat the poisoned berries. When the suffering of these two boys is very close to ending, the game is interrupted and, for the first time, two winners are chosen. However, this repeal of the rules will not leave the Capitol happy, since action can be taken as a symbol of struggle and hope.

This is how the image of a revolutionary protagonist is forged, while enemies grow around her in the shadows. A teenage girl will be able to change everything simply by not giving in to the oppressors of her community and many others, but it will not be easy and the pressure will be much greater from now on. In addition to taking elements from science fiction and dystopian narratives, the plot addresses very current issues such as class inequality and violence as a form of entertainment.

The Hunger Games was directed by Gary Ross based on an adapted script that the same filmmaker wrote with Billy Ray and original author Suzanne Collins. The cast included notable stars such as Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Alexander Ludwig, Isabelle Fuhrman and Amandla Stenberg.

The film saga is available to watch on HBO Max.

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