Film Review: The Hunger Games.

             Hello there! It’s your friendly, slightly nutty, reviewer, again! I hope you’ll enjoy this review as much as I enjoyed watching the movie, and writing this! Anyway, I shouldn’t keep you distracted with my un-movie-related ramblings any longer, soooo... READ ON!

          Oh. Wait. *whines* Do I have to warn you about spoilers? *looks at Emily, who nods vigorously* Oh, well, just the usual thing then. Pretty much, if you haven’t seen the movie, proceed at your own risk, because you are in danger of being attacked by SPOILERS!

            I had read all three books of the trilogy numerous times (yes I am a Hunger-head or whatever the hell the fandom calls its followers these days, in case you hadn’t noticed...) and was looking at watching this movie with a mild feeling of...apprehension, I suppose. This was because I had watched so many movies that were ‘based’ (based being the operative word, here) on the book, and then had turned the movie into just having the characters with the same names, and nothing else, really. But I watched the movie (hence this blog post...) and I am now ready to delve into the movie, and discuss it. 

FAVORITE BITS AND CRAZY THOUGHTS

-Right, let me just start with this. The one and only problem I have with this movie is the actors and actresses. The only one who I think is right is... Katniss. Peeta is wrong – too sulky – as is Gale, Prim is kinda cute, but not... Prim and it’s the same for Rue. I suppose I’ve read the books so many times that I am way too stuck with the images I have imagined for the characters in my head. And I know, I know, not everyone thinks like me, but... I don’t know... I have actually come to think of movie producers/ directors/ the receptionist who called the auditioners – well, not really, but you know what I mean! – as a bunch of idiots. Many of them SCREW THE MOVIE UP! But that’s just me and my over thinking Sherlock-ness...

-Prim really is cute. And I love Buttercup...who is black?! What the what? The book specifically describes him....you know what? Let me just give you a little extract from the book –most from memory - and let’s see if I’m wrong, or if the movie cat is right... ‘Sitting at Prim’s knees, guarding her, is the world’s most ugliest cat. Mashed-in nose, half one ear missing and eyes the colour of rotting squash. Prim named him Buttercup, insisting that his muddy yellow coat matched the bright flower.’* Right, now, does that look anything like THIS cat?!

Yeah, right, didn’t think so. Yeah, I’m throwing a tantrum over a cat. Don’t worry; I’ve done weirder things before...

-The forest she meets up with Gale in is GORGEOUS. Man, what I’d do to have even have been a minor person involved in this movie, even if it was the cleaner of the stars’ caravans (ewwwww), anything, just anything to be on set with them there. Also the little speech-y thing, and the picnic they have there is really cute!

-I expected Prim to be a little more badass than she is in the film. I mean, in the book, she’s the one who is mentioned to help her mom with all the sick people who arrive, because Katniss is so queasy about it. You’d think she’d be should be okay with a bit of blood taken from her finger...

-Right, so, the whole ‘I volunteer' thing is a really poignant scene and all that, but I would’ve made it more powerful. Here is the reason why I say this: you get two types of people in life. You get the book readers who go see the movie to see their book come to life, and are die-hard fans, and then you get the movie watchers who go to the cinema, and see the movie poster and are like: ‘Oh, hey, that looks cool, let’s go watch it, shall we?’ Now, even though this little thingy popped up at the beginning:

...and we had the interview with Seneca Crane and Caesar Flickerman and all that, but for the movie watchers the seriousness of that scene just isn’t touched. Sure there are screams and any number of NO’s, but, to me, if I hadn’t read the book multiple times before I watched it I’d be: ‘What? What? Really? She’s going on a suicide mission? Okay, cool. Bring it on!’ Oh, and the other thing about this scene... I can’t even COUNT the number of parodies I’ve seen of the ‘I VOLUNTEER!’ perusing the net, actually looking for funny Doctor Who pictures... the things Google matches with what you’re looking for...! I am forever going to be scarred from that one picture. It had nothing to do with Sherlock wallpapers! Look, here’s an example:

 
-Okay... who hired Lady Gaga’s stylist for the day? Because that is SERIOUSLY what Effie’s outfits look like. Either that or she’s Umbridge’s crazy cousin or something... the outfits that woman wears are really crazy. Are her outfits really that bad in the book? ‘.... and Effie Trinket, District 12’s escort, fresh from the Capitol with her scary white grin, pinkish hair, and spring green suit.’* Okay, then, the outfit in the movie is WORSE and WAAAAAY more eccentric than the book description.

-The whole goodbye scene was pretty good, and how I imagined it. Just enough emotion to get the gist of the situation, but not so much that it leaves you in tears. Well, some of you. I admit I sniffled. I was the only one in the group, who was watching this for the first time, and who knew what was coming. I was asked quite a few times about what was going to happen. Just a warning – when you watch something with me that I have already read the book about, and ask me what is going to happen next ('Is she going to die?! Please tell me she's going to be okay! Please?') I'll just grin sardonically at you and say: 'Spoilers, sweetie.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwiA0S4h_Ao

-Right, the ride to the capital and the introduction of drunk!Haymitch (What else is new?) was fairly good. Effie was impeccable too. I just do not like Peeta as a character and Josh Hutcherson in the way he portrays him. He's too...wimpy, for lack of a better word. And I really just don't like him. Thank goodness the focus is on Katniss 24/7. Otherwise I'd have given up long ago.

- CINNA IS PERFECT!! Lenny Kravitz could not have done a better job. I cannot imagine anyone else doing it but him either. I also really like the Cinna-Katniss relationship dynamic because I don't think Miss Everdeen could've achieved anything without her fashion consultant/designer/best friend bloke right behind her. Also, Cinna's loyalty and belief in her right from the start is awesome too. 'And remember this: I'm not allowed to bet, but if I could, I'd bet on you.' Cinna is awesome, his actors' music is awesome, and your argument is invalid.

-I was kinda disappointed with the costumes. In the book you get the impression that the rich people at the Capitol were dressed eccentrically and that each person was trying to dress so that their outfit was bigger, better, faster and more than the bloke next to them. Not in this movie. It looked as if most of the people in the background were wearing 'muggle clothes' as the PotterHeads would call it. But, then, I could've looked at it and my overactive and my very colourful imagination filled in the blanks. And overdid it a bit... I dunno, what do you think?

-Speaking of costumes, Katniss' and Peeta's did not disappoint. The flames were awesome (real but not real) and the... I suppose, regal-ness of those two were exactly as the book described. And the nerves beforehand too, I might add.

-The training area, outfits and the bit where she shoots the apple to get those individual's on the podium to give her attention were spot on. Exactly like the book describes (if not better) and Katniss' badassery is really, finally been touched upon. If I was in her place, yes, I would've volunteered for my sister (what big sister wouldn't?!) and once I arrived at the Capitol, I'd have slapped Effie and thrown a bucket of ice on Haymitch, kicked Peeta in the butt and gone and sat in a corner reading something. But when I got in the arena... yeah, different story. Sat down in a gibbering mess and let the District 1's through 3's take me out. Rather die early and quick than prolong the inevitable... wow, bundle of laughs, I am today, huh? 

-I LOVED Katniss' interview dress. And, once again, Cinna is a genius! I don't think he gets enough credit, y'know... anyway, the whole interview was GREAT and Katniss looked so uncomfortable in a dress and nervous answering those questions that it was almost, almost laughable. Except I think I was semi with the poor girl. I know how having to talk in front of an audience of strangers (no amount of imagining them without underwear on helps. Who even thought that dumb-ass expression up, anyways?!) feels. I'm sure you do too. Like you're gonna throw up. All over everyone, everywhere. I commend Katniss for her nerve and determination. And how, if you read her body language, that she is so telling Caesar and the audience (except Cinna) to bug off,and leave her alone. You go, girl!

-The arena and control room was better than I imagined. I actually had trouble visualising it properly in my mind, so having watched the movie and re-read the book, has made it even better than before. I also couldn't picture Seneca Crane or President Snow (I did NOT picture him as Donald Sutherland of all people), but Seneca's side-burn decorative tattoo thingie was pretty nifty, I must admit.

-Let us now move onto the subject of Hunger Games Arena wildlife. If you'll look to your left, you'll spot a 'mockingjay' which can imitate a tune that they have been taught long before in their ancestry, which is kinda useful, but really, really creepy. Next is the 'tracker-jacker' which you should avoid at all costs if you have a insect sting allergy. Those things are creepy and don't distinguish who's friend and who's foe. They just sting. Because they can.

-Rue dying was what I wished they had left out. The only scene I wish they had. But her death is an integral part of the plot, so she had to bite it. She was really cute, though. And so much like my little sister I shivered. Except, my lil' sis' isn't as adept with a knife or sneaky as Rue is. I can see what Katniss' getting at with the whole Prim/Rue similarities.

-I'd have to say that the whole Katniss/Peeta thing (I will not call it what the fandom calls their ship) lemme call it Toast. Why? Well... look.

- The narrative played out well. I always approach movies who have adapted from a first-person novel with extreme caution, because how do you show what they are thinking at that moment like it is in the book? Like Twilight...yeah. Look how well THAT turned out. But this was really really good, everything was right, and awesome, and the two love-birds' 'fake' romance was good, not too romancy or so many chick-flick moments it was just right. And that's the way I like it.

- And the heroes win, love rules over all, the evil is vanquished and everybody lives happily ever after. Uh... nope. Not in this case. President 'Creepy' Snow wants to have our heroines' head, because she upstaged the Capitol with the Nightshade berries. And so, we leave our love-birds with a rather shaky relationship now that they are away from the spotlight and Snow being as cold as... well... snow.

blows air kisses Jess out! 

*Ownership to the AMAZING Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games. I SO did not write this – I wish I did!