the hunger games: the film: the review
Saw it yesterday. It was spoilers
good.
liked
Really liked how it showed things outside of Katniss's POV. It was interesting to see things like the Games from the control room, and it was nice that it wasn't just a by-the-numbers adaptation, giving the audience something different from the books.
Outside of District 12 I loved the sets. The Capitol, ultra-modern but with a touch of fascist architecture. Some of the scenes looked like they could have come from a Leni Reifenstahl movie. And on that note, really liked Seneca Crane's last scene, where he was presented with a bowl of the toxic berries. Reminded me of Rommel's death: given the choice of suicide with state funeral and pension for his family, or could face a court trial with certain execution (and poor fate for his family).
Arena was well-done; the grid-dome over the arena during night scenes was a nice effect, making visible how in control the Capitol was.
Most of the acting was solid. Jennifer Lawrence captured Katniss's toughness and emotional distance well. Josh Hutcherson had me rooting for Peeta by the end, and for whatever reason I was expecting not to like him, though I liked book Peeta well enough. Lenny Kravitz was not the Cinna I had in my mind; I think I expected a more flamboyant character simply because of his occupation, even though the character is one of the least flamboyant Capitol citizens in the book. Still, Kravitz sold me on his portrayal. Also liked Rue, who did a lot with a few scenes, the drunken and condescending Haymitch, Flickerman, Effie Trinket.
District 11's rioting, although a big change from the book, worked for me, and is a nice setup for the second and third (and fourth?) movies, as the Capitol loses it's grip. I didn't really miss their gift of bread; that would have required more exposition to tell the audience why it mattered.
The violence was suitably brutal and appropriate for the rating. Not as explicit as the books, but that would have been hard to show in a PG13 movie. They handled the Games well overall. Rue's death was a particular highlight. The only scene there that didn't work was Katniss hiding in the tree. She just seemed too low and too exposed compared to what I pictured in the book, and it was hard to believe the Careers on the ground would have just waited her out in the movie.
did not like
Depression-era District 12. I get what they were aiming for, but it was just too obvious, looking like they plucked those scenes from The Grapes of Wrath or something. All Look How Poor This District Is! And it made the futuristic TV projectors seem way out of place.
The hunger part of The Hunger Games. With the exception of Katniss being excited over Gale's bread roll, the meager diet compared of the Districts compared to the excess of the Capitol was entirely missing.
Gale. He was fine, if bland, before the Games started, but after every shot had him as a mopey doofus. It's difficult to believe someone would ship him with Katniss if based solely on the movie.
Snow. Donald Sutherland is a fine enough actor, but his Snow was just not menacing. Book Snow is so obviously dangerous right under the surface, but that was not evident in the movie. He was more a gruff old man.
ETA: The shaky camera work. At times it was too much.
overall
Thumbs up! Will see the next films. Hoping they don't make book three two movies, as is the current trend, unless they significantly expand on the book.
good.
liked
Really liked how it showed things outside of Katniss's POV. It was interesting to see things like the Games from the control room, and it was nice that it wasn't just a by-the-numbers adaptation, giving the audience something different from the books.
Outside of District 12 I loved the sets. The Capitol, ultra-modern but with a touch of fascist architecture. Some of the scenes looked like they could have come from a Leni Reifenstahl movie. And on that note, really liked Seneca Crane's last scene, where he was presented with a bowl of the toxic berries. Reminded me of Rommel's death: given the choice of suicide with state funeral and pension for his family, or could face a court trial with certain execution (and poor fate for his family).
Arena was well-done; the grid-dome over the arena during night scenes was a nice effect, making visible how in control the Capitol was.
Most of the acting was solid. Jennifer Lawrence captured Katniss's toughness and emotional distance well. Josh Hutcherson had me rooting for Peeta by the end, and for whatever reason I was expecting not to like him, though I liked book Peeta well enough. Lenny Kravitz was not the Cinna I had in my mind; I think I expected a more flamboyant character simply because of his occupation, even though the character is one of the least flamboyant Capitol citizens in the book. Still, Kravitz sold me on his portrayal. Also liked Rue, who did a lot with a few scenes, the drunken and condescending Haymitch, Flickerman, Effie Trinket.
District 11's rioting, although a big change from the book, worked for me, and is a nice setup for the second and third (and fourth?) movies, as the Capitol loses it's grip. I didn't really miss their gift of bread; that would have required more exposition to tell the audience why it mattered.
The violence was suitably brutal and appropriate for the rating. Not as explicit as the books, but that would have been hard to show in a PG13 movie. They handled the Games well overall. Rue's death was a particular highlight. The only scene there that didn't work was Katniss hiding in the tree. She just seemed too low and too exposed compared to what I pictured in the book, and it was hard to believe the Careers on the ground would have just waited her out in the movie.
did not like
Depression-era District 12. I get what they were aiming for, but it was just too obvious, looking like they plucked those scenes from The Grapes of Wrath or something. All Look How Poor This District Is! And it made the futuristic TV projectors seem way out of place.
The hunger part of The Hunger Games. With the exception of Katniss being excited over Gale's bread roll, the meager diet compared of the Districts compared to the excess of the Capitol was entirely missing.
Gale. He was fine, if bland, before the Games started, but after every shot had him as a mopey doofus. It's difficult to believe someone would ship him with Katniss if based solely on the movie.
Snow. Donald Sutherland is a fine enough actor, but his Snow was just not menacing. Book Snow is so obviously dangerous right under the surface, but that was not evident in the movie. He was more a gruff old man.
ETA: The shaky camera work. At times it was too much.
overall
Thumbs up! Will see the next films. Hoping they don't make book three two movies, as is the current trend, unless they significantly expand on the book.