‘Catching Fire’ soars and skewers at the same time

Mission accomplished, and with the sequel, the gloves come off. “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is a muscular, engrossing, unexpectedly bleak epic of oppression and insurrection, directed with dramatic urgency and a skilled eye by Francis Lawrence (“Constantine,” “I Am Legend”). Set in the fascist future state of Panem, the movie takes pains to show its young mass audience what living under a totalitarian dictatorship might look and feel like. But the sharpest aspects of “Catching Fire” — the parts that sting — play as an allegory for today. Very few people will take in this spectacle of a society amusing itself to death, of “reality games” and the vapid media hysteria that surrounds them, and not draw a parallel to our own televised bread and circuses. At its best, “Catching Fire” is a blockbuster that bites the culture that made it.

I assume you have not read Mockingjay.
By the way, what is “the human spirit” exactly? Other than an empty phrase used rhetorically, I mean.

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I have read the series.

Human spirit? In Western Civ it is the part that strives and continues to battle forth despite odds.

Mockingjay reveals that the rebels themselves exhibit similar behaviors to The Capitol.

Also, plenty of animal species "strive and continue to battle forth despite odds."

There is nothing particularly "human" or "spiritual" about the survival instinct that would make it "the human spirit."

If there is any trait that is prculiarly human it is self-awareness and the conscience - a trait that often finds itself in conflict with the primal survival instinct.

It's not a matter of belief. I can read Plutarch in the original and this isn't it.

:yawn: Whatever, babe.

If it were, you wouldn't be shrugging - you'd be ticking off the obvious parallels.

Since you are lazy then ok here are the parallels.

1. Athens was under the domination of Crete and had to send yearly tribute of seven young men and women to Crete as a human sacrifice.

The districts were under the domination of the Capital and each districts have to send yearly tribute of one young man and woman to Crete as a human sacrifice.

2. Thesus was not chosen to be part of the tribute but chose to take someone elses place and go.

Katniss was not chosen to be part of the tribute but chose to take someone elses place and go.

3. Thesus is helped by the Princess Ariadne who supplies him with weapons and a strategy on how to win.

Katniss is helped by Haymitch Abernathy who supplies her with weapons and a strategy on how to win.

There are others but those are the main ones.

The first book was published in 2008, so considering the author is a woman, I would guess she was writing it from a “Bush” prospective.

Certainly that is what the publishers believed. You can see that in the special features on the DVD. More here

The story also parallels the Japanese Battle Royale series of novels, manga, and films. The Japanese movies are more straightforward without all the futuristic hoo-hah (outlandish costumes, etc.) of The Hunger Games.

In the supposed criticism of our celebrity-worshipping culture, the book fails completely. Katniss has a makeup and wardrobe team, luxurious quarters and food before the games - that's not criticism, that's pandering to girls and women who want to have their cake and eat it too - who want glamor and acclaim and to be treated like princesses, and yet to be at heart something better, a deadly competent, noble Artemis, worshipped by two men. Would the book have been so popular if Katniss had been simply dropped grubby and unpampered into the arena? Absolutely not.

On the contrary, Katniss and Peeta both despise the excesses and riches of Panen, knowing so many in the various districts are kept oppressed and starving. The only reason they tolerate the wardrobe/makeup and all is that it may help them gain sponsors who will give them an edge in the winning the games. Then there is the constant tension from the Capital of being paraded around the districts that continued the memories and torment. There is no question this is a severe critique of our own reality show culture. As for worshipped by two men, her own hardened heart would have only chose the one who would be able to keep her and her family alive and fed, and nothing more. It was only towards the end when she softened up enough to accept one of them (spoiler avoided.)

As for the arenas, it is science fiction but really, is it all that preposterous? Considering what Agenda 21 is working towards, then what malls like Mall of America and huge parks like Disney can build... I don't think it's that much of a stretch.

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