it's just an object, it doesn't mean what you think

[orangerful]

So, I have absolutely no interest in the Divergent series and I've been trying to pinpoint why. I think I've found one of the issues for why I just can't get excited about it.

Guns.

Here is the image being used to promote the movie:




You know what it makes me think of? The Matrix. A movie which disappointed me because I wanted to see awesome kung-fu action and instead I got a lot of guns. I wanted to see kicking and punching and instead I got bullet-time.

I guess I'm Obi-Wanning here, but I think I prefer more elegant and romantic weapons, like Katniss and her bow and arrow. It takes skill to use a bow and arrow. It is something to be admired. I just don't find guns to be sexy.

Also, there are enough images of REAL teenagers with guns that seeing that poster just makes me want to see the film less. Maybe it's because I think of the images of when I was in high school, right after the Matrix, with school shootings on the news, and the image of two teens with guns just brings those back up.

I'm looking at shows I watch and not a lot of them have guns in them. The most obvious one would be Justified and guns do a lot of damage on that show but they are adults using them and because of the southern, cowboy like feel of the show, it fits. Same with Firefly. Guns on Buffy were few and far between and they were very bad. Same with Angel.

I'm not even sure this makes any sense but I wanted to throw it out there. It's just a vibe. Just seeing the ads for the movie makes me feel like it is more action and less thought and metaphor (though not as bad as Maze Runner, that book put me off reading "Hunger Games Read-Alikes" for ever.)

Speaking of books, I should probably go close up the library. :) I am counting LJ as my break time haha.

Comments

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

Basically, this. The one thing that really bothered me about the book (the first one anyway--I didn't read farther than that) is that the main character has to pass some sort of test to overcome her fear. And her solution is to imagine herself with a gun. Because that makes her feel powerful. It is so gross.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Oh good, now I feel better, I thought maybe it was just me LOL. Sylvia was attempting to explain the book to me today while we were walking and I let her talk but in my head I was like "this is crap...does she not see this is crap?" and she said "It's hard to explain" and I wanted to say "Because it's crap" but instead I said "huh..."

I don't know anything about Veronica Roth and her background, but I know Suzanne Collins is fascinated by war and its effects on children and the survivors of any battle. PTSD and such, because of her father's experiences in Vietnam and her experience being his daughter. Hunger Games is her exploring those issues and you can see it in the story and the writing. I just don't feel that for what I've heard about Divergent. I feel like it lacks the heart and soul that grounded Collins stories.

And since Mockingjay, I feel like these YA authors are trying to top each other on the most depressing way to end their trilogies. Again, missing the point of what Collins was trying to say in favor of hoping that the shock value will make people want to read the series after they have been released.

[rhoda-rants.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's pretty . . . yeah. I will say the love interest angle of the plot was less stupid than many other similar ones I've seen, so there's that. There's a bit of them both being nervous about their Relationship and What It All Means, so they actually sit down and talk about their expectations and figure out something that works for them. That a pleasant surprise. The emphasis on solving your problems with violence--not so much.

And reading further into your initial post--yes, someone else who didn't like The Maze Runner! *high five* That book was SO BORING! I liked the monsters who come out of the maze (those blob things, I forget what they're called) but the way it was set up is just so contrived and unbelievable. Not the fact that the Gummint decided to do this, but that it took them until the protagonist showed up (Two Years. TWO YEARS!) to find the thing, and then how arbitrarily the author withholds information, and GAH! Not a fan.

The Hunger Games is unique because it feels so real. It's an allegory for a lot of stuff going on right now, and I like that she didn't gloss over the fact that there's no real happy ending for Katniss after having gone through what she did. You don't come back from that; it sucks, but that's how it is. I still hate the love triangle and how it was resolved (Is no one else really bothered by how easy it is for Peeta to lie to everyone and get away with it?!) but I've read Collins fought against that part of the plot and lost, so I won't hold it against her.

[vibes.livejournal.com]

It would be a lot harder to market kung fu type movies though. I mean you have to admit that, that poster would be a lot less visually compelling without the guns. Cause when I see guns on movie posters and stuff now it always draws me up short and I pay attention. idk It's such a serious issue these days I like to see how movies handle their use effectively without overdoing it or being just generally horrible.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Thing is, I don't mind adults killing each other, but seeing a show where the heroes wield guns and shot at other people...again, something about guns and teens and intentions...I haven't seen the movie and only know a little about the story but that image was very jarring to see in my email from Hot Topic.

[vibes.livejournal.com]

It can be jarring that's true!

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm Obi-Wanning here, but I think I prefer more elegant and romantic weapons, like Katniss and her bow and arrow. It takes skill to use a bow and arrow. It is something to be admired. I just don't find guns to be sexy.

Also, there are enough images of REAL teenagers with guns that seeing that poster just makes me want to see the film less. Maybe it's because I think of the images of when I was in high school, right after the Matrix, with school shootings on the news, and the image of two teens with guns just brings those back up.

I agree with you so much there.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I was hoping my ramblings would make some kind of sense!

(btw, icon love! we've started watching Sailor Moon Crystal. Never saw the originals but I'm enjoying this series a lot)

[mountingsnow.livejournal.com]

I cannot agree more about Maze-runner, what a hot mess.
Divergent I’d say is a bit better, and in the books the section that she belongs to is suppose to be that worlds’ version of military, but still I agree that the overall theme of Identity vs. society expectation of the novels didn’t really have to involve all the violence and weaponry. The posters full of teenagers certainly don’t have to either.

In fact, the focus of the books is very ‘rebels against the dominating power’ but it shifts in a way that Hunger Games doesn’t so part 1 is one thing, part 2 another and part 3 something totally different but still each one manages to involve a full out war of “us against the power”. It is a bit like fighting just for the eventual action packed movie scenes I guess.

But hey, there isn’t an annoying love triangle.

[jediknightmuse.livejournal.com]

-Points to icon- I couldn't not comment. :D

I think I only saw bits and pieces of The Matrix. I need to change that.

I never finished reading the first Divergent book. I couldn't get past the fact that it was reminding me a little too much of The Hunger Games and I was just kind of...bored.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Best icon is the best. :)

The Matrix is okay. I was never impressed with it LOL. It has some cool parts though. Do NOT watch the sequels. Pretend they don't exist. They were painfully bad.

[jediknightmuse.livejournal.com]

Lol, okay. I'll just stick to the first one. XD

[domluver.livejournal.com]

It is a very gun heavy series, didn't really realize it because I read them a bit too quickly. But looking back there were a lot and it was a bit annoying. That's like how they can really only solve anything. Was super disappointed with that series.

[luckweaver.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Though I'm quite intrigued by interesting gunwork, I can see your point here: it does sort of make an impression.

[penderies.livejournal.com]

I guess I'm Obi-Wanning here, but I think I prefer more elegant and romantic weapons, like Katniss and her bow and arrow. It takes skill to use a bow and arrow. It is something to be admired. I just don't find guns to be sexy.

YES YES YES

As well, Buffy hated guns and said 'These things? Never helpful!' which I loved.

[ekaterin24.livejournal.com]

I'm kinda with you. Guns are overdone, inelegant, and boring, and do not require great skill or much imagination in the story's creators.

Of course, I dislike violence in general, preferring problems to be caused and solved with imagination, intelligence and insight--Labyrinth is one of the best examples I can think of. (We miss you, Jim Henson!!)