Like many other Hunger Games fanatics, I waited not-so-patiently for the movie’s sneak peek during Sunday night’s VMAs. What makes me a little different is that I am 25 years old and haven’t subjected myself to an entire VMAs viewing in close to a decade. I made an exception this year. A 135 minute exception, to be specific, during which time I missed out on my usual Sunday night television buffet of True Blood, Curb and Entourage (with a few commercial break moves to whatever is on E!).
So after dealing with Lady Gaga’s alter ego having awkward exchanges with Britney Spears, Beyonce announcing to the world that she was pregnant and enduring Jessie J’s lackluster interpretations of today’s hits, the time had come. My fiance was relieved, having tolerated my Hunger Games obsession for months now. Right after this we could go to sleep.
The lights dim. The forest appears. I gasp. I may have done a little bounce. I can barely contain my excitement. And then…
…it’s over. Jennifer Lawrence, who I must say does Katniss justice, runs through the forest. Looking scared. Trees fall. She demonstrates her archery skills. Enter Mockingjay logo. End scene.
“That was it????” I screamed.
No Peeta. No Gale. No Capitol. No intense music (I always envision Muse’s “Uprising” album as the musical soulmate to this series). No nothing. Lame.
Deflated, I sank back in the couch feeling bamboozled. My fiance resisted the urge to laugh, knowing it would just be rubbing salt in my disappointed fan wound. I turned the TV off and reluctantly climbed the stairs to bed.
When you love a series of books as much I love The Hunger Games, you can’t help but be concerned that the movie will not do the story justice. I hope this is not the case for The Hunger Games, but the preview left a lot to be desired. Let the countdown to March 23, 2012 continue!