By Jamie Lim
Reporter

What can be more controversial than killing children? How about children killing children for a game that’s hyped up like it’s the Olympics or Super Bowl when the entire world is watching?

There’s no doubt that the “Hunger Games,” by Suzanne Collins, has stirred up quite a bit of controversy. With the film being released today, many fans wonder how director Gary Ross will portray the novel on the big screen.

“I think anytime you get a movie that’s telling a tale of a book you just have to enjoy the way it’s being seen on the screen, instead of the way the author intended it,” Beaumont sophomore Stephanie Parks said.

In most movies that are based on a series, like “Harry Potter” and “Twilight,” diehard fans almost always notice scenes and characters that the movies were lacking. Recently,

Entertainment Weekly revealed four aspects that the film will not feature. Nevertheless, fans remain excited for the film’s release.

“I freaked out. Literally squealed with excitement,” Houston sophomore Rachel Andrae said.
“I absolutely love the cast that they chose to play Katniss, Peeta and Gale. It helps that Josh Hutcherson is in it. I have had a crush on him forever.”

While it may have been obvious that Ross and producer Nina Jacobson would keep the three main characters Katniss, Peeta and Gale, respectively played by Jennifer Lawrence, Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, one minor character, Madge, will not be in the film.

Madge is the mayor’s daughter in District 12. In the novel, before Katniss leaves for the Capitol to train for the Hunger Games, Madge gives her the Mockingjay pin.

“Madge giving [Katniss] the Mockingjay pin bridged the gap between the poverty stricken coal miners and aristocracy,” Marshall sophomore Joanthan Tijerina said, “If they took Madge out, then [Katniss] doesn’t really have any reason to be sympathetic towards people who have money.”

In the EW article, Jacobson reported that the purpose of not having Madge in the film was to establish the relationship between Katniss and her younger sister Prim, played by Willow Shields.

Another aspect is that the audience will only get a glimpse of the Avox servant girl. An Avox is someone who rebelled against the Capitol and was subsequently captured and punished by having his or her tongue ripped out and the person is made into a slave.

The Avox servant girl is only a minor character, but she is from Katniss’ past and serves Katniss during her stay in the Capitol.

“It’s a huge mistake,” Tijerina said. “That’s where Katniss gets the idea of going against everything. That was the girl who [Katniss and Gale] didn’t help, when they should’ve helped.”

One aspect receiving mixed feelings from fans is the issue with Katniss’ prep team, because while they will be portrayed in the film series, the audience will have to wait until “Catching Fire” to get to know Octavia, Flavius and Venia.

“[The prep team] bring such a great dynamic to the book,” Andrae said. “Since they help Katniss with her transformation into the ‘Girl on Fire,’ I think that they should be included. I don’t want to have to wait until the next movie to meet them.”

In the EW article, Jacobson said the main thing was to establish Cinna, played by Lenny Kravitz. Cinna is Katniss’ stylist and one of the few people she trusts.

The last aspect fans shouldn’t expect to see in the film is the futuristic elements of the Capitol. So for those looking forward to seeing the innovative gadgets, like the food automators, will just have to picture them in their mind.

“I wish this was in the movie,” Andrae said, “I was looking forward to seeing how the directors played it out. It is hard to imagine a lot of these Capitol gadgets so it would have just cleared that up in the movie.”

Jacobson stated that the purpose of leaving out the gadgetry was because he didn’t want the Capitol to appear fanciful. Instead, he wanted the Capitol to be portrayed as ominous and threatening with a mind-blowing experience.

“I think that’s OK, but the whole Capitol environment contrasted Katniss’ living environment with the excess that the Capitol people had, which made her realize that that’s not OK,” Tijerina said.

For more information about “The Hunger Games,” visit its official website, www.thehungergamesmovie.com, or read the trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

Happy Hunger Games.