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Tell us what you thought of 'The Hunger Games'

The long-awaited adaptation opens today

By Guy LodgeFriday, Mar 23, 2012 4:57 PM

Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in "The Hunger Games."

Credit: Lionsgate

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It's heeeeeere. "John Carter" may have got blockbuster season off to a false (if unseasonally early) start, but the real deal arrives today -- Gary Ross's adaptation of Suzanne Collins' young-adult publishing phenomenon "The Hunger Games" has been breathlessly anticipated for months, if not years, and early box-office numbers (not to mention a broad swathe of reviews) already suggest the hype has not been misplaced. I confess I haven't seen it yet. Ill health got in the way of press screenings this week, plus I've been dutifully catching up on the book -- which, rather to my surprise, I found entirely captivating. So I'll be queuing with all the other excited punters this weekend; in the meantime, if/when you've seen it, be sure to share your thoughts here.

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Guy Lodge
Critic

Guy Lodge is a South African-born critic and sometime screenwriter. In addition to his work at In Contention, he is a freelance contributor to Variety, Time Out, Empire and The Guardian. He lives well beyond his means in London.

Related Searches: In Contention, The Hunger Games, Gary Ross, Jennifer Lawrence

http://marshallandthemovies.com/2012/03/23/hungergames/

Overall, they did a very good job adapting the novel. And it was a watchable, well-made movie otherwise too.
March 23, 2012 at 5:11PM EST Reply to Comment
Gary Ross used to be a good writer

It's good to see Gary Ross at the director's chair again. Too bad it's for a paycheck. SELL OUT!
March 23, 2012 at 5:13PM EST Reply to Comment
- roddymartindale Yeah, because he wouldn't want to make a living or try to get other projects made by directing a sure-fire hit.
  March 23, 2012 at 6:17PM EST
- Spencer I thought it was Acctually a great movie an so did everyone else since it made $19.7 million dollars just at the midnight shows that was not presented in 3D
  March 23, 2012 at 6:17PM EST
Jamie Neish

Here's my review of The Hunger Games - http://emptyscreens.com/2012/03/23/review-the-hunger-games-2012/
March 23, 2012 at 6:20PM EST Reply to Comment
B

It was fantastic, but not the best movie this year or ever. The Artist was way better. The Godfather is the best movie ever. Harry potter was better than this. I don't see what all the hype is about.
March 23, 2012 at 6:29PM EST Reply to Comment
B

It was great but their are many movies this year better. Like The Artist. I don't see what all the hype was about.
March 23, 2012 at 6:30PM EST Reply to Comment
Duncan Houst

I really didn't like this. They've ripped every ounce of real emotion, difficulty, violence, and personality out of the story, leaving a shell of hollow and pointless events. Remember the fact that the book isn't about a romance? Apparently it is now. Remember the biting satire the book implied? The film delves into none of that. Remember the dark emotions one feels when forced to kill good people? Nope. Just cold blooded killers. I am more than simply disappointed. I am entirely confused.
March 23, 2012 at 7:54PM EST Reply to Comment
- Jonnybon There is great subtlety in the film.
  March 23, 2012 at 8:49PM EST
- CaptainCanada I don't get how you could think the movie was a romance. There was barely any emphasis on that; less than the books, arguably, since we don't get Katniss' internal monologue.
  March 23, 2012 at 11:10PM EST
- neverthehero If there were a lot of talk about dark emotions in the book I'd have to agree with you but there wasn't. @captaincanada I think someone watched Adaption and took Brian Cox character to heart about internal monologues and voice-overs. I was surprised by this choice, if not actually put-off by this fact.
  March 24, 2012 at 12:03AM EST
- JJ1 Having just seen it (I liked, not loved it), I DO think that the 'dark emotions one feels when they kill good people' was expressed well enough. Do to the lack of music through most of the film (including the forest scenes) - whenever someone died (that eery canon noise), the camera would linger on Katniss' face or her reaction would show to me a sense of terror/regret/sadness/confusion as each death came and went. I saw it.
  March 25, 2012 at 6:04PM EST
- Duncan Houst @Jonnybon: If by subtlety you mean avoidance, then yes. There is nothing cinematically motivating about the film, or at least nothing Gary Ross seems to be interested in. Everything is dealt with as an afterthought.
  
  @CaptainCanada We never got the point that their relationship was a ruse to gain audience sympathy. If you hadn't read the book, that part was not merely confusing, but just plain stupid. And in fact, this is a film that should not be further informed by the book. If it has to be, then it fails.
  
  @NeverTheHero So a film shouldn't take creative license to amplify the deeper emotion crevices that were hinted at in the book?
  
  @JJ1 There was nothing at all eerie about that canon noise, and there was nothing to inform us of "terror/regret/sadness/confusion" in any of the deaths. There is no information towards any of the characters. It was so emotionally uninformed towards even the major characters. If this were simply a film with no love wafting off of the book series, we would be heralding this as a failure. It makes me sick that people are incapable of making that distinction.
  March 26, 2012 at 12:00PM EST
- osiskars Wow thanks Duncan finally someone pointing this out.. I think its awful where the film have gone to .. Al that was left , is a child murderer story. i would never take my children to see it..
  March 31, 2012 at 9:18AM EST
- osiskars @Duncan Houst
  Hey do you have some sorts of blog or something.. You are a smart guy , and I would like to hear more from you ! .
  The smart people should support each other :D
  March 31, 2012 at 9:20AM EST
Jonnybon

Absolutely loved it. Better than the book. But I think it's important to read the books first.
March 23, 2012 at 8:45PM EST Reply to Comment
Monty Jack

MotherFUCKING shakey-cam nearly ruined this film for me, but otherwise, I was very happy with it.
March 23, 2012 at 9:22PM EST Reply to Comment
- SJG I'm very disappointed to hear this... I absolutely can't watch shaky cam. I will have to suppress vomit through the whole movie if it's filmed that way. Please someone tell me it's not TOO shaky.
  March 23, 2012 at 10:19PM EST
- Jackson Fortunately, the camera only seemed shaky to me at the very beginning of the film. If the shakiness continued, it wasn't enough for me to notice anything.
  March 23, 2012 at 10:23PM EST
- Mondz For some reason, shaky-cam doesn't really bother me especially when it has a purpose.
  March 24, 2012 at 3:12AM EST
- Peter I only noticed the shaky cam while filming in the Districts. I thought it offered a nice contrast to time spent in the Capitol. For that reason I thought it was effective.
  March 24, 2012 at 12:44PM EST
SamuelM

I thought it was great. My main criticism would be the use of shaky-cam. That's almost always a complete turnoff for me, but at least in this instance it served some purpose in keeping the violence at a distance and conveying the chaos and confusion Katniss was frequently feeling. It still bugged me though, it just wasn't a deal breaker.

There were a few elements that felt a bit undercooked compared to the book, but it moved at such a pace I didn't care (i'm not much interested in a book vs movie comparison anyway).

It will be nice to see a movie this clever and well made making a shitload of money as opposed to a lot of the other crap that makes money.
March 23, 2012 at 9:24PM EST Reply to Comment
Mondz

I really liked this adaptation. And this is coming from someone who found the book poorly written, heavy-handed, and unconvincing. The film has an impressively ominous and more believable atmosphere filled with tense silence and unspoken anxieties. It also helps that Lawrence fully inhabits the role with quiet expressiveness which makes us root for her. Of course, Ross doesn't really elevate the story into sci-fi/dystopian greatness. But I think the source material is more to blame for that.
March 23, 2012 at 9:29PM EST Reply to Comment
CaptainCanada

A very good adaptation, that dances on the edge of greatness but doesn't quite get there. But it's a promising start, and in terms of mass media targeting girls it's a huge improvement on that *other* franchise.

The main strength is Lawrence, of course, who I think we can officially consider a movie star with this film. I think she's going to be one of the big things of this decade.

I think Rue really needed another scene or two to have the same impact she did in the book, though the actress playing her was very natural and likeable, so that helped a lot.

There's one bit at the end that I think didn't feel quite right, because of changes made earlier. In the book, solely from Katniss' POV, the decisions of
the Gamemakers are invisible and inscrutable, with her only guessing at what they're doing at any given time. But in the movie we follow Seneca Crane through
the entire process, only to not show him when he arrives at the culmination of his story and his inevitable/fatal error. Having spent so much time with him leading up to this moment, I think they really needed to show him making the decision to let Katniss and Peeta both live, which spares them and dooms both him and, ultimately, the dictatorship.
March 23, 2012 at 11:14PM EST Reply to Comment
- JJ1 I don't look at Jennifer Lawrence and think 'Movie Star' after having seen the film. I think she's attractive. And I think she's competent in every movie I've seen her in; this included. But I really don't get the feel like she will be this automatic superstar from this. The movie/role is too quiet and sad, I think. There isn't grand, romantic emotion attached (think Twilight, however inferior in quality it is). I don't fault her, really. But I think it's harder & harder in recent times to become the breakout STAR.
  March 25, 2012 at 6:08PM EST
neverthehero

I think that it is actually better not to have read the books first. The suspense is taking away in my opinion and for those who watched it w/ out reading the book, you most likely thought that in fact perhaps that they would have to kill each other.... personal thoughts, I thought emotionally it was there almost but WOody's character wasn't fully realized as a drunk.
March 24, 2012 at 12:09AM EST Reply to Comment
SR

The movie was not quite what I expected, but it was still good. I loved Ceasar Flickerman. He was over the top and hysterical. Rue's scene did bring tears to my eyes (kudos to the actors). I was a little surprised by some of the things they cut out, but over all I thought the movie was good. I hope to see it again when I am not sitting in the very front row craning my neck to see the screen.
March 24, 2012 at 12:58AM EST Reply to Comment
Andrej

Such a bizarre concept and execution for a blockbuster. It's still pretty entertaining though - the cast's pretty solid and the film works its plot with inteligence and lots of tensity. Its editing's somewhat uneven though - great at specific sequences, but shaky and unfocused at fight scenes.

Awardswise, I'd say it's worth keeping around for best art direction and best costume design. For the most part, both fields are represented here in a very flamboyant, futuristic-rococo style, so it could earn the fantasy/sci-fi slot in both categories, as long as its imagery is still well remembered by the end of the year.
March 24, 2012 at 12:58AM EST Reply to Comment
- JLPatt LOL, "futuristic-rococo." My mind can't process that anachronism! Although I think I understand what you're getting at.
  March 24, 2012 at 1:24AM EST
- Andrej "Futuristic rococo", I don't know xD Probably the best way I can describe it is that it kinda looks like as if Alice in Wonderland had taken place in the year 2100.
  March 24, 2012 at 9:30AM EST
- JJ1 "Such a bizarre concept and execution for a blockbuster".
  
  I agree, the movie felt like it was verging on arthouse territory in spots. Maybe it was the lack of manipulative musical score.
  March 25, 2012 at 6:11PM EST
Devan

I think the begining, before going to the Capitol, could have been better. Other than that, the movie was amazing!
March 24, 2012 at 4:30AM EST Reply to Comment
cineJAB

I was so happy to see this rise beyond it's potential to be a twilightesque bomb of a movie. There's fantastic performances all over this film, starting of course with Jennifer Lawrence, but the smaller adult roles are all done to perfection. Some of the writing left more to be desired, especially for Peeta, but Josh Hutcherson did well with what he was given.
March 24, 2012 at 8:34AM EST Reply to Comment
Porter

Jennifer Lawrence stole this film since the minute she appeared on screen! She was amazing!
March 24, 2012 at 9:06AM EST Reply to Comment
Porter

I just hope that they change the director for the sequel. Not because I think he's done a bad job, because he hasn't. But I think, it's always good to change it up a bit. Like, for example, Alfonso Cuáron directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. And, it was the best one of all the Harry Potter films. I just think it would be good to have another visionarie directing this...
March 24, 2012 at 9:12AM EST Reply to Comment
Squasher88

I thought the movie was decent, but the first half dragged a bit. Overall, it felt a bit restrained. It’s a shame, since I could sense that the audience was willing to go deeper and darker with the story. Jennifer Lawrence was good, but this was an easy role for an actor with her talent. I am definitely intrigued to watch the sequels.
March 24, 2012 at 10:07AM EST Reply to Comment
- JJ1 Restrained is a good word. It almost put me in a sedative-like transe for a while. I know that sounds like a huge knock on the film. I don't mean for it to be. But yeah, something seemed a little off, to me. I wanted to feel more. But I still think it was well-done, nicely acted, etc..
  March 25, 2012 at 6:13PM EST
craig

I think hunger games is a far superior book to movie adaptation than the crap twilight. ATTENTION twilight filmmakers this is how you adapt a book into film.
This movie is nearly as good as the book by collins unlike those crappy twilight films
March 25, 2012 at 8:08AM EST Reply to Comment
- Hans Well, it's not like the Twilight filmmakers have much to work with...
  March 26, 2012 at 2:31AM EST
Matthew Starr

Too much exposition in the first half and the ending was rather anticlimactic. I felt like twenty different things happened in the last ten minutes. Also I did not like the fantasy aspects of it (giant killer dogs). Elements I liked include Jennifer, Woody, the costumes and sets, the premise. Also this would have been a better film if rated R instead of PG-13.
March 25, 2012 at 3:55PM EST Reply to Comment
- JJ1 Yeah, it needed to be R.
  March 25, 2012 at 6:13PM EST
- RichardA As it is, it should have been rated-R.
  March 27, 2012 at 12:23AM EST
- CaptainCanada It wouldn't make any sense to adapt a super-popular YA (ages 12-18) book into a format that most of the target audience couldn't see in theatres without parental accompanyment.
  March 28, 2012 at 12:05PM EST
Roger

The movie looks way better the 2nd time you see. Especially for those who read the books. When i left at the end of the first time i was a bit annoyed cause i loved the book and was super excited. But when i watched it again you notice and subtle it is in giving you hints about what's going on specially for those who know the story but for the rest as well. It is well adapted and the biggest problem here is that those who read the book are used to Katniss monologue which helps understand whats going on while in the movie you don't have that help.

Also to me the only big problem with the movie was the bloody awful soundtrack! They could have done so much more and make such a greater impact with a better soundtrack!

P.S. How come Peeta kept is leg??
March 25, 2012 at 4:47PM EST Reply to Comment
Chris138

I have never read any of the books, so I can't compare the movie to its source material. However, I thought it was a pretty good movie overall. Jennifer Lawrence was terrific, but that's no surprise. It was paced pretty well, although I thought it could have been 15 or 20 minutes shorter. I also didn't care for the shaky camera work, especially during the fighting scenes where you have no idea what the hell is going on. I've been hearing that reading the book helps to shed some light on certain things in the movie, so maybe I'll get around to doing that sometime in the near future.
March 25, 2012 at 11:19PM EST Reply to Comment
RichardA

So much of the movie reminds me Winter's Bone. Jennifer Lawrence's Ree Dolly and Katniss are so similar--the sibling, the catatonic mother, the hunting, and the squirrels. And the poverty.
March 27, 2012 at 12:29AM EST Reply to Comment
- JJ1 weird, isn't it
  March 27, 2012 at 6:57PM EST
Ro

Shaky camera work ruined an otherwise decent adaptation.
March 28, 2012 at 5:36AM EST Reply to Comment
osiskars

Can someone explain to me , what is so compelling in a story about child murderers? ... I just didn't get the concept... I might believe that the books are better, but the film , for a newcommer , was kinda unexplained ..

i still feel like this story teaches kids that its ok to be vengeful and killing other in order to survive is ok ... Just the way its Rated I dunno probably PG12 , makes all the killing and fighting so innocent. I just think if it was serious then you do serious all the way through.. not slaughter the small kids in some 20 half seconds long shots and then move forward as if nothing had happened. Ye who cares , lets just kill children and move along to our main Heroes , who are the only ones (no actually only the girl ) seem to struggle with the killing bit... ou ye and only when she doesn't have to kill.. when she has to she doesn't linger ...

Just if somebody can say any good reasons why that is normal just give them to me .. please, I want to believe its a good book.

March 31, 2012 at 9:16AM EST Reply to Comment
Harris Phill

Always happy to read interesting games location. That Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in "The Hunger Games." might be interesting and enjoying seems to me.Tv Antennas BelmontThanks :)
May 3, 2012 at 2:03AM EST Reply to Comment

2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

UPDATED: FEB 25, 2013

Best Supporting Actor

Best Supporting Actress

Best Adapted Screenplay

Best Original Screenplay

Best Cinematography

Best Costume Design

Best Film Editing

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

Best Original Score

Best Original Song

Best Production Design

Best Sound Editing

Best Sound Mixing

Best Visual Effects

Best Animated Feature Film

Best Documentary Feature

Best Foreign Language Film

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Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

http://marshallandthemovies.com/2012/03/23/hungergames/Overall, they did a very good job adapting the novel. And it was a watchable, well-made movie otherwise too.

Gary Ross used to be a good writer It's good to see Gary Ross at the director's chair again. Too bad it's for a paycheck. SELL OUT!

roddymartindale Yeah, because he wouldn't want to make a living or try to get other projects made by directing a sure-fire hit.

Spencer I thought it was Acctually a great movie an so did everyone else since it made $19.7 million dollars just at the midnight shows that was not presented in 3D

Jamie Neish Here's my review of The Hunger Games - http://emptyscreens.com/2012/03/23/review-the-hunger-games-2012/

B It was fantastic, but not the best movie this year or ever. The Artist was way better. The Godfather is the best movie ever. Harry potter was better than this. I don't see what all the hype is about.

B It was great but their are many movies this year better. Like The Artist. I don't see what all the hype was about.

Jonnybon There is great subtlety in the film.

CaptainCanada I don't get how you could think the movie was a romance. There was barely any emphasis on that; less than the books, arguably, since we don't get Katniss' internal monologue.

osiskars Wow thanks Duncan finally someone pointing this out.. I think its awful where the film have gone to .. Al that was left , is a child murderer story. i would never take my children to see it..

osiskars @Duncan Houst Hey do you have some sorts of blog or something.. You are a smart guy , and I would like to hear more from you ! .The smart people should support each other :D

Jonnybon Absolutely loved it. Better than the book. But I think it's important to read the books first.

Monty Jack MotherFUCKING shakey-cam nearly ruined this film for me, but otherwise, I was very happy with it.

SJG I'm very disappointed to hear this... I absolutely can't watch shaky cam. I will have to suppress vomit through the whole movie if it's filmed that way. Please someone tell me it's not TOO shaky.

Jackson Fortunately, the camera only seemed shaky to me at the very beginning of the film. If the shakiness continued, it wasn't enough for me to notice anything.

Mondz For some reason, shaky-cam doesn't really bother me especially when it has a purpose.

Peter I only noticed the shaky cam while filming in the Districts. I thought it offered a nice contrast to time spent in the Capitol. For that reason I thought it was effective.

JLPatt LOL, "futuristic-rococo." My mind can't process that anachronism! Although I think I understand what you're getting at.

Andrej "Futuristic rococo", I don't know xD Probably the best way I can describe it is that it kinda looks like as if Alice in Wonderland had taken place in the year 2100.

JJ1 "Such a bizarre concept and execution for a blockbuster". I agree, the movie felt like it was verging on arthouse territory in spots. Maybe it was the lack of manipulative musical score.

Devan I think the begining, before going to the Capitol, could have been better. Other than that, the movie was amazing!

Porter Jennifer Lawrence stole this film since the minute she appeared on screen! She was amazing!

JJ1 Restrained is a good word. It almost put me in a sedative-like transe for a while. I know that sounds like a huge knock on the film. I don't mean for it to be. But yeah, something seemed a little off, to me. I wanted to feel more. But I still think it was well-done, nicely acted, etc..

craig I think hunger games is a far superior book to movie adaptation than the crap twilight. ATTENTION twilight filmmakers this is how you adapt a book into film. This movie is nearly as good as the book by collins unlike those crappy twilight films

Hans Well, it's not like the Twilight filmmakers have much to work with...

JJ1 Yeah, it needed to be R.

RichardA As it is, it should have been rated-R.

CaptainCanada It wouldn't make any sense to adapt a super-popular YA (ages 12-18) book into a format that most of the target audience couldn't see in theatres without parental accompanyment.

RichardA So much of the movie reminds me Winter's Bone. Jennifer Lawrence's Ree Dolly and Katniss are so similar--the sibling, the catatonic mother, the hunting, and the squirrels. And the poverty.

JJ1 weird, isn't it

Ro Shaky camera work ruined an otherwise decent adaptation.

Harris Phill Always happy to read interesting games location. That Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in "The Hunger Games." might be interesting and enjoying seems to me.Tv Antennas BelmontThanks :)

2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS

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In Contention is updated

http://marshallandthemovies.com/2012/03/23/hungergames/

Overall, they did a very good job adapting the novel. And it was a watchable, well-made movie otherwise too.

Gary Ross used to be a good writer

It's good to see Gary Ross at the director's chair again. Too bad it's for a paycheck. SELL OUT!

Jamie Neish

Here's my review of The Hunger Games - http://emptyscreens.com/2012/03/23/review-the-hunger-games-2012/

B

It was fantastic, but not the best movie this year or ever. The Artist was way better. The Godfather is the best movie ever. Harry potter was better than this. I don't see what all the hype is about.

B

It was great but their are many movies this year better. Like The Artist. I don't see what all the hype was about.

osiskars @Duncan Houst
Hey do you have some sorts of blog or something.. You are a smart guy , and I would like to hear more from you ! .
The smart people should support each other :D

Jonnybon

Absolutely loved it. Better than the book. But I think it's important to read the books first.

Monty Jack

MotherFUCKING shakey-cam nearly ruined this film for me, but otherwise, I was very happy with it.

JJ1 "Such a bizarre concept and execution for a blockbuster".

I agree, the movie felt like it was verging on arthouse territory in spots. Maybe it was the lack of manipulative musical score.

Devan

I think the begining, before going to the Capitol, could have been better. Other than that, the movie was amazing!

Porter

Jennifer Lawrence stole this film since the minute she appeared on screen! She was amazing!

craig

I think hunger games is a far superior book to movie adaptation than the crap twilight. ATTENTION twilight filmmakers this is how you adapt a book into film.
This movie is nearly as good as the book by collins unlike those crappy twilight films

RichardA

So much of the movie reminds me Winter's Bone. Jennifer Lawrence's Ree Dolly and Katniss are so similar--the sibling, the catatonic mother, the hunting, and the squirrels. And the poverty.

Ro

Shaky camera work ruined an otherwise decent adaptation.

Harris Phill

Always happy to read interesting games location. That Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth in "The Hunger Games." might be interesting and enjoying seems to me.Tv Antennas BelmontThanks :)

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