The adaptation had some weaknesses, and I agree with all the points you've raised. It must have been a great challenge to take a first-person perspective novel and transcribe it to the screen. I did enjoy being transported, though, into the physical space that was District 12.
I too wish I hadn't read the books before seeing the movie. I sat next to two gals in the theatre -- one who had read the books, and one who had not -- and the had not gal about came unglued in the dark. It was a treat watching her out of the corner of my eye as she flinched and fidgeted. The movie was a much more visceral experience for her, while I was watching it from a technical perspective…how good was the script? The acting? I would have given anything to be in her shoes, to experience the story for the first time.
If I like a movie, I go to the book because I crave more, as books are capable of delivering that. So, I've been advising my friends who have not read the books to see the movie straightaway.
The shaky camera work irritated me too…my thoughts during the opening scene: "Oh no, not THIS style of handheld again." but it leveled out and reappeared only in fits and starts. In the fight scenes, I thought it somewhat necessary (the filmmakers too, perhaps) because of the criticism the project was getting for the subject matter of children killing children. If the camera shakes and jerks about, they can't be accused of dwelling on the violence all that much.
I did notice and appreciate the lack of music, which had to have been a conscious decision by the filmmakers. I love music in movies when it's done right, but an ever-present, bombastic leit-motive a la Speilberg (and Peter Jackson, bless him) gets sooo tiring with all the emotional manipulations. The silence in Hunger Games was palatable, and really made the movie for me. I'm actually looking forward to seeing it again so I can pay more attention to that aspect.
That all being said, I'm looking forward to the next two installments. Thank you for your review!
I was dwelling on the fact that Katniss was a welcome addition to the pantheon of (to coin Joss Whedon's oft applied moniker) "strong female characters", and stumbled upon this little gem. Enjoy. I laughed my ass off…
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I too wish I hadn't read the books before seeing the movie. I sat next to two gals in the theatre -- one who had read the books, and one who had not -- and the had not gal about came unglued in the dark. It was a treat watching her out of the corner of my eye as she flinched and fidgeted. The movie was a much more visceral experience for her, while I was watching it from a technical perspective…how good was the script? The acting? I would have given anything to be in her shoes, to experience the story for the first time.
If I like a movie, I go to the book because I crave more, as books are capable of delivering that. So, I've been advising my friends who have not read the books to see the movie straightaway.
The shaky camera work irritated me too…my thoughts during the opening scene: "Oh no, not THIS style of handheld again." but it leveled out and reappeared only in fits and starts. In the fight scenes, I thought it somewhat necessary (the filmmakers too, perhaps) because of the criticism the project was getting for the subject matter of children killing children. If the camera shakes and jerks about, they can't be accused of dwelling on the violence all that much.
I did notice and appreciate the lack of music, which had to have been a conscious decision by the filmmakers. I love music in movies when it's done right, but an ever-present, bombastic leit-motive a la Speilberg (and Peter Jackson, bless him) gets sooo tiring with all the emotional manipulations. The silence in Hunger Games was palatable, and really made the movie for me. I'm actually looking forward to seeing it again so I can pay more attention to that aspect.
That all being said, I'm looking forward to the next two installments. Thank you for your review!
I was dwelling on the fact that Katniss was a welcome addition to the pantheon of (to coin Joss Whedon's oft applied moniker) "strong female characters", and stumbled upon this little gem. Enjoy. I laughed my ass off…
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/an-imagined-girls-night-conversation-between-katniss-everdeen-hermione-granger-bella-swan-and-buffy-summers/