“The Hunger Games”: plot of the “Mockingjay” movies (1 and 2), “And the Flame Flashes”, description, meaning of the ending and titles, similar movies. What is the essence of the teenage dystopia “The Hunger Games”? Awards and nominations: Winning 6 People’s Choice Awards and 4 MTV Movie Awards nominations. Golden Globe nomination for the Safe and Sound soundtrack performed by Taylor Swift.
In 2012, the world premiere of the film adaptation of the bestselling novel by American author Susan Collins took place. The dystopian novel tells the story of Kitniss Everdeen – a teenage girl who was able to turn the life of an entire country. Interestingly, the point of The Hunger Games, unlike many of its counterparts, is not the violent competition. The essence of the picture is much deeper and tragic.
Storyline
The Hunger Games movie saga is divided into four feature-length films. Each of them is eventful and immerses the viewer in the bleak atmosphere of a dystopian world. The content of each film is both frightening and satisfying at the same time.
The Hunger Games
At the center of the plot is the small state of Panem. A republic with a totalitarian regime has sprung up on the ruins of a world destroyed by the apocalypse many years ago. Panem consists of the Capitol, the capital, and the Districts, the 12 districts surrounding it. Every year the authorities hold the Hunger Games, a bloody competition for teenagers in which they fight each other to the death. The participants are selected only from poor neighborhoods.
The film begins with a drawing ceremony. Two teenagers are randomly chosen from each District to take part in the Hunger Games. Twelve-year-old Primrose Everdeen is chosen. Her sister Kitniss, now 16, knows that the girl will not survive the competition and volunteers. Her candidacy counts, and Kitniss is assigned to participate in the Hunger Games, along with neighbor Pete Mellark.
Jennifer Lawrence as Kitniss Everdeen, Liam Hemsworth played the role of Gale Hawthorne. A still from the series.
The young people arrive at the Capitol, where they get to meet the other contestants and hone their skills before the competition. Kitniss takes with her a mascot in the form of a brooch with a mocking owl. At practice, the girl impresses the jury and becomes a serious adversary in the eyes of the other teens. She is good at archery, and many begin to see her as a threat. Pete’s talent is not combative, but useful: he knows how to disguise himself perfectly. The friends try to figure out how they can win the show, even though the rules say only one person can win.
The Hunger Games begin. Everdeen and her opponents find themselves in an artificially created forest full of dangers. The weakest tributes (contestants) die immediately – on their way to the supplies. The others scatter.
Kitniss finds a friend, Ruta. But soon the girl is killed. Kitniss makes a gesture at the camera, which provokes a riot in the District where the dead girl lived. The rules change: now two can win. Kitniss finds an injured Pete, who confesses his love for her. They kiss, causing a flurry of excitement in the audience. The pair get new sponsors. After a series of trials, Pete and Kitniss win the 74th Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games. And the flames will burst into flames.
The lovers from District 12 become celebrities. President Snow visits Kitniss and threatens to destroy District 12, as he once destroyed District 13, if the girl supports the rebellion. She is forced to play by his rules.
It’s time for another one, the 75th Hunger Games. This is the anniversary competition, which is different in that it features the winners of past competitions. Kitniss and Peeta, who thought the worst was over, had to return to the arena.
Cinna sews a wedding dress for Kitniss, which, after certain moves, becomes the costume of a mocking jay, the unofficial symbol of the revolution. The government of Panem accuses Cinna of treason. The stylist is arrested before the games begin.
After a string of murders, Kitniss and her ally come up with a plan to get rid of their rivals: prepare an electric trap for them. But at the last moment, Kitniss shoots her bow into the dome above the arena and seriously damages it. The girl then loses consciousness.
Later, Kitniss finds herself in a strange place and learns that the government has destroyed District 12. It also becomes known that the rebels, including Kitniss’s family, are hiding out in the 13th, which almost no one knows exists. Kitniss is now with them.
Josh Hutcherson as Pete Mellark, Jennifer Lawrence as Kitniss. A still from the series.
The Hunger Games: The Mockingjay. Part 1
The main character meets Alma Cohen, the head of the rebels. She has long wanted to take President Snow’s place and sees promise in the nascent revolution. Cohen gives Kitniss a description of her operation and asks her to become the face of an agitation campaign. Meanwhile, from the television screens, Pete Mellark appeals to the people to stop the riots.
Pete does what is no longer expected of him: he warns the rebels of an impending attack on District 13. Snow puts the plan into action and sprinkles white roses on the scene of the destruction. Kitniss fears for Pete and the others, and refuses to star in new clips.
Active mutinies begin in all Districts. The Capitol is playing its own game, which the rebels do not yet understand. Kitniss finds Pete, but he pounces on her. The girl is informed that her friend has been brainwashed and is now loyal to the Capitol. Alma Cohen celebrates her first victory and prepares to attack the military base.
Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinkett, Jennifer Lawrence as Kitniss. A still from the series.
The Hunger Games: The Mockingbird. Part 2.
Kitniss is obsessed with killing Snow, but Alma Cohen says she needs her for the commercials, but gives her permission to take part in the attack on the base. The plan is masterminded by Gale, an old friend of Kitniss’.
Members of the resistance bomb the base from the air. Kitniss, surrounded by confidants, goes to the mines to talk to the surviving workers, but they shoot her. President Snow does not believe she is dead and orders traps set in the Capitol, which have been prepared for another game.
After recovering from her wound, Kitniss goes to the Capitol with close friends to put her plan into action. Joining the group is Pete, who has managed to be brought to a more or less adequate state.
After a series of traps Kitniss has fallen into, she is declared dead at the Capitol. But she is still alive, and moves through the sewers to Snow’s residence. During another bombing, Kitniss’s sister is killed – Prim. Snow surrenders to the rebels, and Kitniss comes to him to make him pay for what he has done. He denies his involvement in the bombings and blames Cohen, who will do anything for power.
Stanley Tucci played the role of Caesar Flickerman. A still from the series.
How “The Hunger Games” ended.
Alma Cohen takes over as president of Panem. She proposes to have a “Hunger Games” in which the capital’s children will participate. Cohen arranges a public execution of Snow and gives Kitniss the right to kill him. She aims an arrow at the former president, but at the last moment she shoots Cohen. The rebels give Snow a lynching.
Kitniss learns that Gale arranged the bombing that killed her sister. The girl breaks off her friendship with him. Pete regains his sanity. He and Kitniss get married and stay living in District 12. The Hunger Games are over, the rebels take over. It is a time of peace in Panem. At the end of the film, the young couple have children.
The Meaning of the Film
There are films whose meaning lies on the surface, but “The Hunger Games” is not one of them.
The essence of the dystopia is to expose tyranny and the capitalist system with its contrasts. The inhabitants of Capitol Hill are bright, jaded people who seek entertainment in everything, including cruelty and sadism. Therefore, they watch with genuine enthusiasm the deadly contests of young men, seeing them as a fascinating show that is broadcast once a year.
In parallel, we are shown the inhabitants of the Twelve Districts. These people have no time for outfits or entertainment. They are forced to work around the clock to feed themselves and their loved ones. They have no money, no future. They are completely subject to the will of those in power. The people of the Districts are used as a labor force; their consent is not asked when they are selected to participate in the games. In the Capitol, the tributes are dressed up like dolls, showing them a life they will never have. The sincere joy of teenagers trying on expensive clothes for the first time in their lives is again aimed at entertaining Capitol residents, who have not been surprised by a lavish dress in a long time.
A still from the film.
Capitalism is not the only hot topic touched by The Hunger Games. Returning to the population of the Capitol, it is easy to draw an analogy with the mores of modern society. People worship external beauty, experimenting with their appearance, making it bright and unusual. There are too many people who want to be special, and society has returned to what it was running away from: massiveness. Everyone has become “different,” and people are no longer different from one another. This is shown very well by the citizens of the Capitol: all brightly dressed up, but representing a common mass.
Now let’s look at Kitniss. She looks inconspicuous, but she has managed to stand out from the crowd and become a symbol of the revolution. This shows that it is not appearances that are important, but her actions, her ability to think and make decisions. Metropolitan residents are infantile, while Kitniss is desperate and true to her ideals. She is capable of feeling feelings long forgotten in the Capitol: love, pity, courage, and loyalty. She is also characterized by sacrifice.
From this follows the basic essence of the film: the human desire for freedom. The lack thereof is exacerbated by poverty. People who don’t have a livelihood don’t have freedom. Others dispose of their lives. Kitniss Everdeen is a symbol of freedom. A girl who values her life and doesn’t want to throw it in the mud. In fact, she didn’t do anything grandiose, just showed that everyone has the right to be free, and the oppression of some by others is evil.
Collins’ book reveals the essence of radical capitalism and unvarnished the plight of those unlucky enough to be born rich. Hunger reigns in the Districts, and the protagonist is delighted with the burnt crust of bread she pulled from the dirt. This moment speaks eloquently of the situation of the people living in such districts and explains the delight of many of the tributes who entered the Capitol and had their first full meal.
The Hunger Games movie belongs to the genre of dystopia, but what happens does not feel like fantasy. The plot resonates with reality and rings true.
Lenny Kravitz as Cinna. A still from the series.Ending explanation: in the finale of part 4 of the movie saga, Kitniss and Pete look happy, but it is clear to the viewer that the final peace has not yet come. It is unclear who and how Panem will be ruled. The protagonist believes in the best, but does not relax. Alma Cohen was a rebel, but she was not going to abolish the dictatorship. The ending hints that the fight for freedom is not over.
FAQ
Why is the movie called The Hunger Games?
The explanation for the title is that the rich and poor in this movie experience their own hunger. The people of the Capitol need new spectacles as food, and the tributes suffer from a hunger for food and money. Both are willing to do anything to satisfy it.
What songs are played in the film?
The Hunger Games features many musical compositions. Here are the most popular ones that convey the meaning of the movie:
• Taylor Swift — Safe and Sound;
• Jennifer Lawrence — The Hanging Tree;
• The Weeknd — Devil may cry;
• Linkin Park — Iridescent;
• Charli XCX & Simon Le Bon — Kingdom;
• Birdy — Just a game.
Is “Divergent” a sequel to “The Hunger Games”?
No. “Divergent” is an independent television project based on Veronica Roth’s trilogy of the same name. The two stories share the genre of post-apocalyptic dystopia and a core message tied to individual freedom.
Related movies
- “Battle Royale,” Japan, 2000. The government gathers 42 high school students on a desert island to participate in a reality show where they have to kill each other in order to survive and return home. They fight for their lives and try to find the hidden meaning of the show.
- “Divergent,” USA, 2014. In a dystopian country where all people live by strict rules, a girl appears who challenges the established system. This leads to an imbalance and provokes a series of rebellions.
- “Running in the Maze,” USA/UK, 2014. A teenager comes to his senses in a village surrounded by a giant maze from which there is no way out. Together with his new friends, he tries to get out of it before it’s too late.
