Movie Review: The Hunger Games

I loved the Hunger Games books. I devoured them in days if I remember correctly. The writing was great, Katniss was strong and smart and I really enjoyed the strategy and action of the games. Last night I saw the movie and am sad to say I walked out telling my friend I’d be glad to never see that again. Not all was lost though, there were some redeeming qualities. Let me preface this by saying I read this book one time back in 2010. My memory is a little sketchy on the details.

Katniss was spot on. I think she was cast well and really embodied her.
Haymitch was excellent as well. Maybe a little too cleaned up at parts. I imagined him a little nastier but overall attitude was captured.
Gale was completely off for me. I didn’t imagine him so pretty or so tall or, I don’t know. Just off for me.
Costumes were out of control amazing.
Proud of the Carolina mountains! Loved seeing our familiar forests. I mean, not that I go into the forest a lot but you know. if I ever see them, they look like that. And I think I really appreciated it because that’s what I imagined when I read the book.
I appreciated that they included all the important scenes…Katniss on fire, Katniss hitting the apple, the tracker jacker nest, Peeta and Katniss in the cave, Katniss ruining the group’s supplies, cornucopia scene, etc.

But here’s what I didn’t like

For some reason reading the book I think I blocked out a little it was kids killing kids. I didn’t even think much about it until people started making a big deal about it. My first thoughts were what?? That’s not the whole point of the book. The book for me truly focused on Katniss’ survival and her strategy. Yes, there were kids involved but I’m not sure I can explain it but it just didn’t seem so brutal in the book. The movie was not at all graphic or violent but between their focus on the kids being shuffled to check-in and specifically Rue’s death I think it brought attention to something that didn’t have as much attention in the book. All in all, I suppose seeing these kids with faces made it harder for me. And yes, it could be because I have 7 and 9 year old girls and Primrose and Rue were such focal points. But no, it’s not like I was imagining Emma and Lexi going into the games and getting upset. Not like that at all.
Seeing the difference between the Capitol and District 12 was hard, particularly through Katniss’ eyes. If you step back and think about how the book can be an allegory of how our society treats other third world countries, it was really hard to stomach. And yes, I think Suzanne Collins probably wanted that a little. But nevertheless, it made me feel really crappy when she walked in the royal blue train car because I’m a lot more like the one with a chandelier in my bedroom than the one who had a house with dirt floors. So yes, it was hard seeing America cast as The Capitol.
I didn’t remember the kids from District 1 and 2 being so ruthless. Sure, they were trained but were they really that excited about killing Katniss? I don’t know. It’s been awhile since I read the book but I was disturbed. I think I would have been better had they been unemotional killing machines.
I was not expecting the documentary style filming. I really was expecting an action-packed thriller and not what seemed like an emotional roller coaster. I think I just needed less emotion and the style did not help. Plus, I think it made me a little physically ill. I was tired and it was late and I was like, please just be still, camera! I love that style on Friday Night Lights though but FNL is a drama not a thriller.
The ending was not nearly the payoff it needed to be. It was just like oh, let’s eat some berries, Oh no stop you’re the winners. Haha, just kidding! And then just to have them sit on stage and talk about it and the only resolution we saw with Primrose was a wave from the stage? NOT ENOUGH HAPPY. I realize there is more to the story and more coming but not enough good to counter balance all the bad. I think if they’d given a stronger ending, it would have resolved better for me.

All in all, there’s not much about it that I want to see again. I’ve read the book, I’ve seen it play out and it didn’t make me feel good so I just don’t care to see it again.

I realize I’m in the minority. I really do. I had one other person to see it Saturday and she hated it and I was like WHAT? Now that more have seen it, there are still only a handful of us that I’ve heard that didn’t like it. I really, really wanted to like it. I really did. I still love the book and will still recommend it. Just not the movie.

If you saw it, what’d you think? It’s ok to say you loved it, perhaps I’m coming at it from the wrong angle.

This is not a typical movie review for me. Not just a checkmark for a blog post in exchange for free movie tickets. Pretty please read this. There are no spoilers so, read on!

You all know my love for Friday Night Lights, right? I mean, LOVE. If you don’t know my love, you should know I helped create a fan site, ran a podcast and even visited the set in Texas two years ago. Like, serious fandom here. I loved every single character from Friday Night Lights (Texas Forever!) but we all know I geeked out a little for Riggins. I mean, who didn’t love 33? For reals.

Taylor Kitsch’s first movie since FNL is this John Carter (of Mars – which they dropped last minute). I admit, I was REALLY SCARED for 33. Can Riggs really pull off being a super hero in a sci-fi? Am I really even interested in spending 90 minutes (it’s actually 2 hr 10 min) watching aliens on Mars? I’m not a fan of sci-fi. The promos were super sketchy. His voice was altered in some way and there were really weird things showing up on screen. I just was terrified Kitsch’s career was over post-FNL. In fact, I nearly canceled watching the screening because I just was so uninterested in seeing this movie.

But ya’ll. Ya’ll!!!!!!

John Carter was AWESOME.

You know how you watched Avatar and it was a bunch of weird looking people but you really loved all the weird looking people and there was a heart and a cause to the storyline? That’s the closest thing I can come to this story. I also think of Sherlock Holmes where it’s a period piece and the writing is really SMART. (PS Mark Strong from Sherlock Holmes is in the movie.)

First off, I need to say I know nothing about John Carter of Mars from the books. I’m just an uninitiated movie- goer. I went into this thinking it was going to be just an overblown action movie but it turns out this is truly a character story. What they don’t highlight in previews is John Carter’s history on Earth and then the conclusion back on Earth and you see this troubled guy and watch him evolve and by the end of the movie it’s so satisfying you just want to fist pump and clap in glee.

Taylor Kitsch completely blew me away. The days of Riggins are simply a shadow of this actor that showed up in this movie. He delivered lines with confidence, showed emotion like Riggs and had the physicality of a super hero. It wasn’t cheesy at all.

The other characters are amazing. Did you know William Dafoe (Spiderman) was in this? How about Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes)? Or Thomas Haden Church? The female character played by Lynn Collins (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) was strong and smart and she just knocked my socks off to tell you the truth. I really thought she was just going to simply be eye-candy for the guys but they really played to her intellectual and physical side. And I don’t just mean sexual physical side although she certainly was sexy in the movie and was only half-dressed for the whole thing.

They had this adorable dog-ish character that really lightened the mood. In fact, there were several humorous moments but not enough to take away from the action.

What I love too is that aside from the violence it was a clean movie. Only one swear word I remember and that was just to the dog so he would get out of harm’s way. No sexually overt scenes other than that they were barely dressed but I honestly was not distracted by it. The violence wasn’t even gruesome.

I’m telling you, this really blew me away. I am so pumped for Kitsch and so glad his career is going to sky-rocket after this movie. X-Men was pre-FNL, his movie The Bang, Bang Club certainly didn’t get the coverage he needed but this is going to be his turning point on the big screen. He’s got Battleship with Rihanna, directed by Pete Berg (also directed FNL) next and then Savages with John Travolta after this. He’s going to be a huge movie star. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Do not let the sci-fi-ness of the promos scare you away. I really think they’re playing to the wrong strengths of this movie. If you like a movie with a good storyline, likable characters, a good romance and some serious action, you’re going to love this! Here, I’ll even link you over to Fandango to go get your tickets! Go!

Disclosure: Disney gave me two free tickets in exchange for the blog post. I loved it anyway though and all thoughts are my own. Clearly.