The Hunger Games: The World Is Watching

The ironic tagline "The World Will Be Watching" for the blockbuster movie The Hunger Games has proven true as audiences around the world are entering the movie theater to watch a movie about a future society that televises children killing each other.

The internet's been all ablaze about this film over the last couple of weeks. Parents have been asking whether this is a movie they should let their kids see. Public Schools have taken classes of students to view what I believe are the logical results of evolutionary indotrination. So, is The Hunger Games worth seeing?

Short answer: No!

There is so much that is wrong with The Hunger Games and so many things I could highlight in this blog post. Since I have not watched this film, I can't give you an in depth look at what's wrong with it. I can't uncover the plot and explain details. But based on my viewing of the trailer and what I've read about the film online, I have enough information to make a judgment call. I am grateful for those who have previewed this film and offered their shrewd critiques from a distinctly Biblical perspective. It's been very helpful for me in my personal evaluation.

Although I am grateful for those who have watched it for the purpose of review, this is one of those films that I would strongly urge others to not even bother trying to view. It takes a great amount of maturity, scrutiny, and Biblical discernment to sit amidst a storm of humanistic, evolutionary, violent, feministic, atheistic thought and come out from the experience with your views intact. As with any movie you watch, you will not come away from this viewing experience unaffected. Even though we hate to admit it, every movie we see has an affect on us to some degree.

At it's heart, The Hunger Games is a movie that is reflective of the evolutionary, humanistic worldview of our culture. It's a film about the survival of the fittest. It's a film based on a book series that took a self-conscious approach at critiquing the blood lust of our culture...by giving us more violence.

Yeah, doesn't work.

It's a film that desensitizes audiences to the reality of violence and glamorizes it in the form of a grand killing game. Unfortunately and ironically, the only thing this kind of film will succeed in doing for our culture is giving us a greater thirst for movies with more bloodshed. For two hours, audiences are submerged into a world where human life is about as valuable as the squirrel I killed a few weeks ago. In this civilization, the evolutionary process for the human, though portrayed as enhanced because of his robot-like existence, has really devolved into bloodthirsty animals who will only survive another day of his measly existence if he can beat the other guy, or in this case a girl.

I find it rather interesting that with the release of this film, we're about to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of one of the greatest acts of manly chivalry; the sacrifice of the men on board the Titanic. That night, on April 15th, 1912, the cry was "women and children first!" Men willingly and nobly laid down their lives to save hundreds of women and children from certain death. These men had been trained by a generation that accepted a Biblical view of men and women. A view which recognizes that men and women have distinct roles. Both are created equal, but God has assigned a created order, consistent with both the nature of the Godhead and the relationship between Christ and His church, which requires that men lead and protect women (Ephesians 5:22-33).

The Hunger Games is reflective of a culture that is trying desperately to eliminate all distinctions between genders. This film not only shows adults delighting in the slaughter of children, but men and women ruthlessly killing one another without the slightest regard. What an incredible contrast between what was witnessed 100 years ago and what is now being promoted on-screen. Men don't protect women in this movie. They kill them.

An interesting point brought up by Kevin Swanson in his review of the film (see here), is that the men in the movie either shrink back in the heat of conflict or are effeminate. Men are weak and worthless, according to this movie. The filmmakers used this to illustrate that in a crumbling society the only people we can count on to help us are the strong women. Without having to utter any explicit dialogue anywhere in the movie, godly manhood is demeaned and ever absent, while feminism's agenda is made readily apparent.

The only word of praise I have for this film is the sheer brilliance with which the filmmakers have molded their worldview into their “masterpiece.” A worldview made abundantly clear to anyone who will actually take the time to think about the dangerous messages being forced upon them as they consume Coke and popcorn. Sadly, many people are so compelled by the story of the heroine, Katniss, that they can't see beyond the silver screen and are totally enveloped into a world of death, and they love it. In fact, they love to love it.

Now, before you lash out at me, let me explain to you why you love the heroine so much and are led to believe that the choices she makes throughout the film are good. It all starts with a little screenwriting principle called “Save the Cat.” A phrase invented by acclaimed author and screenwriter Blake Snyder to describe a certain moment in a film. What is it?

It's the scene where we meet the hero and the hero does something - like saving a cat - that defines who he is and makes us, the audience, like him. - Blake Snyder - Save The Cat

This principle is a crucial moment in any film, but one that many screenwriters actually forget to include. This seemingly insignificant moment in a movie can endear you to a truly worthy hero. But it can also be used by the screenwriter to make you love the most despicable characters, or to make you sympathize with actions you otherwise would condemn. And boy did Gary Ross (screenwriter) remember it when writing The Hunger Games! To top it off, it seems to be working. What is the "Save the Cat" moment in The Hunger Games?

Well, you don't have to watch the actual movie to find out. The filmmakers put it in the trailer which can be seen above. It begins at about 29 seconds.

You, the viewer, are first endeared to Katniss when she saves her little sister Primrose from having to serve as "tribute" in the games. You see her panicked face and you hear her screams. You see her willingly offer herself in place of her sister and from this point on you couldn't care less whether the heroine does something good or horrid, she performed one good act and her plight now becomes your all consuming focus. Because of Katniss' single selfless act, you will cheer her on no matter how brutal, violent, immoral, or otherwise sinful her actions are. Ladies and gentlemen, that's the dangerous power of film.

In what way does God appear in this motion picture? Well, He doesn't. No one honors Him as Lord or worships Him as King. Man still finds a way to degrade and dishonor Him, however, by taking His name in vain. Because of the fact that those in this dystopian civilization reject God, man is now no longer seen as being made in the image of God. Therefore, if man is no longer perceived as being created in the image of God, he's nothing more than an animal. If man's nothing more than an animal, barbaric brutality and violence become acceptable.

All morality and ethics are also thrown out the door because there is no God who establishes a higher moral standard. Man is free to do as he pleases. Since man is free to do whatever he wants, as the viewer, you are presented with yet another reason to sympathize with each murder the heroine commits. You justify her actions because of the circumstances she's in rather than evaluating them against the Word of God. Furthermore, if there is no God and man is free to do what he wants, then man is not answerable to anyone, can create his own rules, and his salvation is found within himself (humanism). As a result, in the film, Katniss' salvation isn't dependent upon anything but her own will-power to fight and a lucky medallion.

As a culture moves farther away from God, it begins to take a perverted delight in the most unseemly things. Gone are the days when men like Robert E. Lee could look out on battlefields strewn with the bodies of slain men and say, “It is good that war is so horrible, or we might grow to like it.” Now we see death and our hearts rejoice and we clamor for more. Films such as these are training our minds to desire what God hates. May God have mercy upon us and restore to us a right and Biblical view of violence, lest we follow in the path of previous civilizations and begin entertaining the masses with the destruction of human life.

This is the worldview of The Hunger Games and this is what our world is rejoicing over at the box office.

Why did I decide to write about this movie? For a few reasons. First I wanted to strongly urge readers of this blog who have not seen the movie to simply not watch it. Second, if you have seen it, I want you to be informed as to the underlying worldview of this film so that you won't be deceived. Third, I want you to be prepared to answer/confront others about why films like this are so dangerous.

For all you filmmakers, a critical lesson should not be overlooked here: no matter how honorable your intentions, do not try and critique our society's problem of consuming violence by showing them more violence. Our sinful nature is drawn to bloodshed like a magnet and will only respond by asking for more. This doesn't mean violence in film is bad, not at all. There is a proper way for the Christian to handle violence in film, but it must be within the bounds of the law of God.

Finally, I want to use this post to give a plug for a film that my brother and I were honored to be a part of. It's called Captivated. Amongst so many many other important issues relative to our consumption of media, Captivated addresses the issue of violence in film and the danger of desensitization. Please order a copy of this film today if you don't already have one! Instead of watching The Hunger Games, gather your family around, watch this documentary, and then discuss it together.

Buy Captivated here!

If you're interested in reading more about The Hunger Games, John-Clay Burnett of ReelCast Productions has compiled an excellent article about the film on his blog. I highly recommend it! Click here to read.

Stand Fast in the Faith,

Joshua