Compare how teenagers are represented in the action/fantasy genre looking at The Hunger Games and The Amazing

Spiderman-

By Martha Nicholls
The genre used in both The Hunger Games and The Amazing Spiderman would be action/fantasy. We as an audience would expect to see violent scenes (fighting mostly) and the main character already shown to be the heroes of the film already set. For example Katniss and Peter are set to be shown as the main heroes of the film. If a young adult were to watch this the total maximum would be 12 years plus.

The Hunger Games For the main plot summary of The Hunger Games begins where as a punishment for a past rebellion against the Capitol, one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are selected to participate in the Hunger Games, an event in which the participants (or tributes) must fight to the death in an outdoor arena controlled by the Capitol, until one individual remains. This film mainly focuses on Katniss Everdeen, a tribute who volunteers for the 74th Hunger Games in place of her younger sister, Primrose. Katniss is joined with a male tribute from District 12, Peeta Mellark, a former schoolmate of Katniss. Katniss and Peeta are taken to the Capitol, where their drunken mentor, Haymitch Abernathy (victor of the 50th Hunger Games) instructs them to watch and determine the strengths and weaknesses of the other tributes. Katnisss stylist, Cinna, is the only person at the Capitol with whom she feels a degree of understanding. Katniss is very juvenile towards others and only has a nice personality for someone she cares about. She is very skilled at bow and arrow which can easily provide food in the area so she will not die of hunger. She is quite agitated when someone that she loves dies. This was mainly caused by the death of her father when she was at a very young age. Katniss was quite close to her father. This friendship/relationship contrasts with Peter who was also very close to his father. They have similarities of character due to having a parent die at a young age. Katniss has quite a confident cocky attitude towards the other tributes that do not have the higher skill of hunting and archery like she does. Katniss is shown as intellectual due to her great understanding of nature and tracking. This summarises on her education and region even if living in a bad habitat area. Peter and Katniss both chose to be the heroes (for example Katniss did not have to volunteer to be tribute to save her sister skin). Katniss is quite protagonist as the hero, being relied upon by the audience and sponsors who put more pressure onto Katniss to kill other tributes. She is quite emotional of what she is going through e.g. being pressured into turning around from the edge of the arena set by being attacked from a ball of fire shot by the gamers. She has a tough personality by not overreacting by attack in the forest scene.

When the reaping scene occurs, everyone must gather in lines, younger and older teenagers. Everyone wears plain clothing which creates a theme of 1920s especially what Katniss is wearing. Peeta has a sort of 1930s theme with his glossy combed back hair wi th plain white shirt and blunt blue trousers. This shows that they wear their industrial clothing which proves they cannot afford any type of nice clothes. District 12 shows a dull, dirty and dark place which shows that they are not in a very adequate place to live and struggling to find food around, especially as they are not allowed to hunt. When they picked Peeta and Katniss as tributes, they are confused and dependently shocked of being chosen to take part of the Hunger Games. Especially when Katnisss sister Primrose is chosen as tribute, she immediately reacts by not letting her sister take part in the Hunger Games. Katniss soon after realises of what she has done and is disapproved of herself by being selfish that she should be the one to take part in the Games. As District 12 give of a 1920s past theme, the guards show a retro futuristic theme which shows that it is set into the future with more technical stuff invented. Katniss is worried during this scene as she does not want her sister to be chosen. She would go far to protect the people that she loves before anything happened to them. Katniss reacts after volunteering to show that her vulnerable side is being revealed by the people that she loves and knows in the district. When needed, Katniss has a caring personality for people that she loves. This contrasts with the personality of Peter Parker as he cares for the woman he loves to not get hurt or injured. When the announcing of chosen tributes begins, Katniss becomes more nervous and agitated (and looks at Gale) and Gale comforts her by mouthing something funny. Katniss is not quite loquacious when volunteering for tribute as she realises what she has done wrong and shows her breath getting slower and shallow when walking up on the stage. Katniss winces when being dragged towards the stage by the futuristic guards. When choosing the male tribute from district 12, her classmate Peeta is chosen. He reacts with shock to show that he is scared and disappointed. When walking onto stage, he looks at Katniss and has a flashback of a scene of him and her and Peeta throwing food towards her. This shows that he still has feelings towards her and regrets to ever hurt Katniss as well. During the forest scene in the Hunger Games, Katniss is being attacked by a big flame of fire, flinging towards her. She quickly reacts and jump to the right, which shows that she has good reflects on things. Katniss is quickly injured on her leg and jumps into the water from side cliff to soothe her leg. At this point, the other tributes find her and chase into the woods. Katniss is in agony from running with a wounded leg and causes panting and puffing from running long distance. She climbs up a tree to escape other tributes. At this point she is surrounded by them and cant escape. Cato and the others are filled with excitement and laughter to kill her and are serious about the game. They are quite eager to kill Katniss (or the Girl on fire as Cato calls her). Glimmer and Cato shoot with the bow and arrow and miss at Katniss which then shows a close-up on Katniss showing relief that they are not skilled with the bow and arrow like she is. She then fights back by being cocky and confident, proving that they are useless at killing someone from another district. Peeta

quickly reacts and says to the other tributes that they should wait her out. After the entire trauma, Katniss winces with more pain and the camera does a close-up when looking at wound on her leg. Katniss is quite significance about what is happening and tears is brought from her burned wound on her leg.

The Amazing Spiderman Peter Parker is an outcast high scholar who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Like most teenager, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy, and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents disappearance, leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors, his fathers former partner. There he discovers his father research about spiders and gets bitten by one on the back of his neck. This then gives him the power of great reflects and more powerful strength. As Spiderman is set on a collision course with Connors alter-ego, the lizard, Peter will make life- altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero. Peter Parker Peter is a nerd who is reliable of taking photographs for other people. This is shown where Peter puts a debate club picture next to the basketball club which shows that Peter is an isolated geek like the debate club. Peter is not socially adept and gets nervous around attractive girls, even if they are not interested in him. Peter is a very intelligent boy however unlucky in love by showing that everyone has a girlfriend except him. Gwen Stacy Gwen is the common classy girl who everyone admires. She has a mature personality which is shown where Gwen has a go at Flash for beating up Peter. In some scenes, Gwen relies upon her hardworking, caring character which makes her more judgemental. Gwen is very beautiful, so she could have got offers of being anyones girlfriend. Gwen likes peter because he reminds him of her; a shy, intelligent hardworking person who would put themselves forward before anyone else. Flash (Eugene) Flash is a high school bully and thinks himself the leader before anyone else. Flash has an aguish attitude towards anyone who messes with him. He doesnt like being called Eugene, because it lowers the IQ of his coolness and leadership. Flash may have had a hard life growing up, giving the perspective of his character towards others and himself. Flash is relied upon people and follow him in every action that he does.

In the school scene of the amazing Spiderman, Peter puts a picture that he took of the debate club onto the bulletin board. This is reflected onto to Peter to show how similar he is to the debate club (Given as a geek). Peter wears tidy clothes and leather jacket to show he is one of the clever, independent people as other people bully them. He is depressed being bullied by the main guy (Flash) who thinks himself a leader towards everyone. Peter gets nervous talking around attractive girls and themselves also. He is trying to socialise around girls who is not interested. Peter skateboards through the corridors and immediately got told off. This shows that geeks like Peter do not get extra nice attention to being clever and have a good education. A mid-shot is used to show Peter taking a picture of the girl he has a crush on to prove the quality of Peter Parkers character is really low. Peter thinks of Gwen Stacy as mature and reading work from her book a lot. Romantic sound is used when Peter and Gwen talk towards each other showing a chance of reality love for Peter.