So, saw Hunger Games last night. First I will just say pretty much what I say about all movies based on books. The book was better, even if you liked the movie, go read the book. Books will always be better, there just isn't as much room in a movie for the characterizations that I like to see. I made Jake read The Hunger Games, which is not something he usually does, and he came out of the movie frustrated. I said to him, "Now you know how I feel every time we see a movie based on a book."
With that said:
It was a good movie, and it was still worth seeing, and if you didn't read the books, you will probably love it. But now for my full review.
*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT* Mostly I am going to spoil on the movie, and some on the first book. I will try not to spoil on the other books because Jake hasn't read them yet.
Now, I understand the time constraints in a movie, so I can forgive them for cutting out most of the details of the training and teaching Katniss to walk in heels and all of that. Once they get into the arena, they did an excellent job with the "bloodbath." They didn't show too much gore or anything, but you still got the feeling of the horror of it all. And it followed the book well. I even got the small change they did when Katniss and Rue joined forced, and it didn't ruin anything for me. I LOVED the part where Katniss blew up the Career's supplies, and they messed with the sound so that you got the feeling of what it did to her hearing.
But then, everything goes South. Here was my issue with the movie: PEETA! Peeta was NOT developed. They cut ALL of his witty lines, all of his jokes about there not being flour bags to throw at people in the arena, about how you can't frost someone to death, nothing. They were supposed to show how good-natured he was and how convincing he was as a speaker. NOTHING. Then, when Katniss finds him at the river, it was like they went "oh we have to fit this movie into said amount of time, let's cut it up." I spent the rest of the movie going, "What? Wait? What about the part where...? Why did they cut that? Hold on!" Then the credits were rolling. What?
I think they didn't want to play up the whole "love triangle" thing, and to some degree I get that (they wanted to avoid looking like Twilight, right?). And I get that the books are about so much more, I know it has layers, I know it comments on reality tv and society and the government, none of that is lost on me. But I think the books are also about one boys unconditional, unrequited, and undying love for a girl, and the fact that such a love can exist in the midst of a terrible society. I think Peeta is the HOPE they spoke of briefly in the movie and some in Mockingjay. So why did they ruin him?
I am hoping against all odds, that they fix it. I am giving them the benefit of the doubt that Peeta's love for Katniss can come across in Catching Fire (though I don't know how they will fix the fact that he's supposed to have a fake leg, and he's hurt by the fact that she faked it all since that had to be shown in the Hunger Games). Any way, I am giving them a chance to fix it. There are some parts in Catching Fire, though, that if they mess up with Peeta, I might not be as forgiving. In fact, there is a part where he has some excellent lines (near the beginning of the Quell, I can't say more until Jake reads it, but maybe those have read it will follow me) that had better be there.
Oh and they botched the ending. Not only did Peeta not get a new leg, he didn't almost bleed to death, his heart didn't stop three times, Katniss did not throw herself at the glass, and the whole what happens now and Katniss says "we try to forget" and he says "I don't want to." What? Where was the part where she breaks his heart?
Although, I am glad the wolf/dog muttations weren't just sad Twilight werewolves, I do wish they wouldn't have given them a little of the Tributes characteristics.
Everybody go see the movie for at least three reasons: It is still a good movie. I want to know YOUR opinions. And to beat Twilight's records; GO HUNGER GAMES!
3 comments:
Agreed, agreed, and agreed! My only disappointment was the lack of development Peeta got. He's so much more. And I was sad that they didn't put a little more into his feelings for Katniss. Other than that...not bad!
I had pretty much the same reactions, but I feel pretty sure that they'll "fix" some of those things in the next movie. (Let's hope, right?) I was disappointed that they didn't really show the true gravity of what Katniss experienced in the arena. It seemed like from beginning to end she was hardly fazed by it all. And I thought it was weird that they jumped right from the victory to Katniss and Haymich talking on the roof. (Haymich was another one I would have liked to see more fully developed as a character.)
I agree as well! After I saw the movie, I started to reread the book to see why I cared so much more about Peeta in the book versus the movie. A huge mistake they made with the movie (in my opinion) is the lack of development in the Katniss-is-starving-Peeta-gives-her-bread scene. My dad, who had not read the books, didn't even understand it. Did Peeta purposely throw the bread on the ground in the rain to taunt Katniss? In the book you immediately understand how much Peeta cares for her and how compassionate he is. That was completely lost in their short clip of that scene. They better develop his character more in the following movies!
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