Hunger Games star Katniss Everdeen’s archery skills were assessed by an expert and showed that the weapon she chose could have been misused. The icon-turned-revolutionary from Suzanne Collin’s dystopian young adult series was portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence in four films from 2012 to 2015 that adapted the author’s original trilogy. Volunteering in place of her sister during the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss, a resident of District 12, her summoning in the games will spark a rebellion that will lead to the collapse of the Order’s corrupt and fascist government.
While Katniss won’t be returning for the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, the latest Insider video brought in traditional archer Jim Kent to give his take on how Katniss’s archery skills stand up to the royal bow. While Kent praised Lawrence’s Olympic-inspired archery work, the pundit was quick to point out that the archery style didn’t match Katniss’s archery skills, which she learned to hunt in the forests around District 12. See full critique Kenta below:
“She has really good form in this film and was trained by an Olympic archer named Khatuna Lorig, an American Olympic archer. Again, a fantastic shooter, so his uniform is an olympic uniform, which is fantastic for aimed shooting. Now, in a hunting scenario, this type of archery will not necessarily work fantastically in this type of scenario.
There are so many variables, you go uphill, you go down and you wait with your bow fully drawn for something to come into focus. He shoots a volley, he shoots a bird, shooting at a moving target is also difficult, and you can’t use the Olympic style of shooting to shoot at a moving target.”
Katniss’ archery skills saved her life before she even entered the games
Prior to the events of The Hunger Games, Katniss was taught by her father in the woods how to survive and thrive outside the neighborhoods, learning about plants growing in the wilderness, how to swim, and what to eat in the wild. It was during this time that he taught her how to use the bow and hunt prey with it, giving Katniss a skill that proved life-saving after her father tragically died in a mining accident and her mother fell into a deep depression.
Katniss’ skill with a bow was vital to her family’s survival, and Katniss stands out as one of the most skilled warriors in the entire Hunger Games series. Even compared to the skills of the first Districts’ Career tributes, Katniss’s archery skills are quickly recognized by Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) as an asset that orders her to hide them while training. Despite this, her acrobatic kick at the Gamemaker’s watchers surprised them, impressing them and giving her the points she needed to attract the support of the Order’s citizens.
While Katniss’ archery skills saved her well before the 74th game, Kent’s criticism is understandable. While the skills Lawrence learned while filming The Hunger Games are impressive, the expert’s explanations give an idea of how the character would actually behave in real life. Whether or not Katniss’ archery skills match up to what hunters would do in real life, many fans of the show will surely welcome the expert’s compliments on Lawrence’s dedication to archery training.
Source: Insider