For the fans of the book (I’ve read the entire trilogy of books with my two older kids), it’s hard to see how this movie will disappoint. It’s well done on every level – acting, sets, look. They stayed close to the book – only a couple of scenes were dropped. I was impressed how much of the book they were able to include in the film.

The actors were perfect. These are not kid actors that will have to grow into their role over the course of multiple films – re: Harry Potter. These actors nail their characters. This is the best acting from a teen/tween movie ever. There isn’t even a comparison.

The ONLY annoying thing of the movie is the first few scenes are shot with the ‘shaky’ cam for effect and it doesn’t really work. It ends up looking like someone shot the scenes with their camcorder. Fortunately, they ditch this effect after the two heroes get on the train.

Content
The biggest thing I was worried about with my 12 year old was the violence. It’s a movie basically critiquing a modern-day Rome with kids 12-18 in the arena fighting till the death. I let Camber read the same reviews I read – mainly the IMDB Parent Review – and we discussed it. Did she think she could handle it? How did it compare to other movies he had already seen?

We both decided to take the risk. Nothing else in the movie was worrisome. No language or sexual stuff.

Again, I think the directors did a great job in this area of making the point without being graphic. If anything, this approach made the death of one Tribute particularly moving. Don’t misunderstand me – there is killing. The whole movie is about killing (more on that in a minute). And it’s not grown men in battle, it’s 12 to 18 year olds. It’s not supposed to be alright and acceptable. But most of it is done off-screen with no graphic shots at all.

Discussion Points
(You can ask my kids – we actually talk about this kind of stuff when we go to the movies.)
Hunger Games in general is an observation of what happens if humanism gets full freedom in a culture. That’s about as simple as I can make it – hedonism is the core of this but particularly the hedonism of the rich and powerful over everyone else in society.

This so clearly gets painted in the movie – my 12 year-old saw it. This is what happens if there is no God or no moral law.

BUT – I countered – that’s the rub – there is a moral law, a moral code that can not – even in the most extreme of circumstances – be eradicated from humanity. Even in a death match where all know that only one can win – there are some characters that CHOOSE differently. Katniss, District 11 participants, Peeta. They CHOOSE love and honor and morality in spite of circumstance and culture that is “forcing” them to choose differently. It’s the strongest that buck the system and find another way, a better way.

And it comes at great cost – but it was their decision none the less. And love wins out…eventually. Right wins out…eventually. Long term, not necessarily in the short term.

Overall – I think the movie is great. I’d go see it again. I think it is going to break all kinds of records (it already has). What is unfortunate about this series is that the first book was the best of the bunch BY FAR. The next one is good but not as good as Hunger Games and I don’t even want to talk about the third book.

But for now – this is an outstanding movie and has lots of talking points!

We used this on Sunday for our Prepare the Room piece.

I’m showing the video below.

Overall, I like the video. I don’t interpret this guy as trashing the Church. Some will disagree. Which is part of the problem of the video, the shortcomings of the video. I really have 3 issues with the clip – that I think would be great for a small group discussion.

First, love the “voting Republican doesn’t make you Christian” slap at the very beginning of the video. Very true. But I wouldn’t have stopped there. Jesus had words for the Zealots and the Pharisees. Anything that compromised Jesus as the solution to the problems of the world, Jesus had a quote for. Politics, education, religion.

So my question/issue to him is this – does he feel that way about all political parties? Or is it angst just reserved toward the Republicans? Democrat, Libertarian or anyone else who’s hope for our culture is in the political system is in the same boat (albeit the opposite side) as the Republicans. To limit the sting of his words to one party is doing exactly what he is railing about.

Second, I don’t think Jesus was thinking of me on the cross. That is a very ego/man-centric understanding of what is going on at the cross. The cross is all about God’s character and glory, not the value of us. Yes, we get the benefit of the transaction of sacrifice – no doubt about that. But God was thinking of Himself – his promise and vision of a world without death and sin. And dieing for the consequence was the only way that was going to happen without blowing it all up and starting over.

So I think God was thinking about that. Not me.

Lastly, I can see where he comes across as an anti-church, anti-organized anything guy. But as I read his other comments, I don’t think that is him at all. I think he cares deeply about the church and wants to be a part of a movement that sees church get closer to being a Grace Station instead of Code Enforcement. I think there are glimpses of that in the video but not overtly so. I hear a guy who loves the concept of the church as the Bride of Christ but hating the examples and experiences he’s had with her so far.

And that I think is the real shortcoming of the video. There isn’t a deep, holistic handling of the issues he brings up. They make great soundbites. At times he sounds like a prophet…statements of profound truth and conviction. Then he takes an abrupt left turn leaving that conversation to sound like an angry teenager screaming shallow, pithy cliches at his parents that he himself doesn’t really understand. There are some nuanced, deeper opportunities he missed. Instead of pushing us into deeper conversations about theology or the church and what transformation COULD look like, he’ll take the quick exit to hit another platitude.

But then again, that might have been the point of the whole exercise anyway. Maybe his point was to generate conversations and dissonance with people who otherwise wouldn’t think twice about their own understanding of grace, church, Jesus, or religion.

Like I said earlier – I like the video. I’ll keep my eyes out for the next piece they produce. My hunch is they will get better and better. I think it’s worth a watch and even worth some discussion time in a small group. I think it would spark some deeper conversations of what is the church, what marks Christianity different from all other religions, and what exactly is my role in all of that.

Here’s the video:

Cooper and I were part of the insanity of the midnight showing of the final movie in the Harry Potter universe. (Which, btw, I don’t think it is the final movie. There is too much money to be made for them just to leave it alone. See Star Wars fiasco.) I have never seen a movie theater so packed. We parked out in the street, the lobby was full of people. Every theater was full. My guess is they made their year in one night. This movie will break every box office record. I’m calling it now.

Second observation – not as many people dressed up as for Star Wars movies. I mean, I remember when the Star Wars 1 (which is really 4) came out…it was crazy. Everyone had a light saber or mask or robe. Not so much last night. Maybe because Topeka isn’t a hotbed of Harry Potter fans but it wasn’t the crazy scene that I thought would happen.

On to the movie…

Visually, the movie is stunning – what we’ve come to expect from the HP franchise. It’s incredible how much better and cleaner the effects look like since the first film. And the film (learning from the disaster that was HP4) stays close to the book. Every film I am amazed at another layer of Hogwarts or the magic world in general they expose. It’s a beautiful thing and just complete eye candy.

It’s nice to see the characters grow up. Do you remember watching the first film and thinking – ‘can I really handle too many more films with these whiny kids?’ I am glad to say that the actors have ended the series with their best performance yet. Each film they got better. This one is by far their best performance. They grew up and they grew their characters up. Great performances all around.

The story is great. Yes, a pastor has said that. I love how clear elements of the Gospel are in the story. Did Rowling mean to do that? I have no idea. I do know that it is impossible to keep the gospel out of a great story (who said that, btw?) and this is a great story. Sacrifice as the path to redemption, love trumps hate, evil collapses on itself – all get played out in the final film.

For those three people who have not read the book and don’t know what happens, might not want to read this next part.

**Spoiler Alert**
There were really only 2 hiccups in the movie. The final scenes tended to drag a bit. You know what it is coming next and there is a part of you that just wants to get on with it. Was the director having a hard time letting go? Not sure. It’s not horrible and it in no way ruins the movie but it is noticeable. There are about 5 minutes of…are we going to end this movie or not…then it passes.

The second hiccup is really up for debate as to if the director meant it to be as funny as it came across. The Epilogue scene 19 years into the future. Seeing an older Harry, Ron, and even Draco made the audience laugh out loud. There were more than a few groans as well. It just didn’t seem to fit. Of course the question then is – how else are you going to film that scene? I have no idea but perhaps they should have gotten somebody from the Benjamin Buttons or Forrest Gump movies to do the special effects on aging. Because it looked…weird.

**End of Spoiler**

Neither of those two issues take away from the greatness of the movie. It’s expensive to go to the movies but this would be one film that I think would be worth it.