The Not-So-Hunger Games

First-The Hunger Games is a fine movie. It isn't the disaster that Twilight is, and it wasn't horribly made. It is nice knowing that Suzanne Collins helped with the screenplay. This post isn't going to totally blast it out of the water, so if you are insisting that it was the best movie you've ever seen, just hear me out before you shoot an arrow through this post.

Being a high school English teacher means I've read the books multiple times and love them. However, I like to think I have realistic expectations when books are transferred to film. Therefore, I approached the movie theater with cautious excitement. I also had the benefit of seeing this film with my husband who has yet to (and probably won't) read the books. That brought an interesting perspective that actually reinforced my own.

The main issue with the film is that the movie makers assumed that everyone seeing it has read the books. I get that a majority of people have, but that doesn't mean it is a good idea to leave out significant character development or symbols.

Looking at character development first, I realize that there are quite a few characters throughout the book and eliminating some of them is necessary if the movie is to stay under five hours long. I can live with no Madge and barely glimpsing at the prep team. What I cannot live with is the lack of relationship development between Katniss and Rue and the underdevelopment of Haymitch. Like my husband said, "Why do I care that Rue dies?" I know why he should care because it broke my heart when I read it in the book. As a first time watcher though, it just seems like Katniss and Rue ate a quick meal together and then there's a riot in District 11? Hmmm...there's a gap there.

What did they do to Haymitch, glorious Haymitch? Although well played by Woody Harrelson, the depth of that character is revealed so much through his relationship with Katniss in the book but not in the movie. He may be her greatest antagonist, but they understand each other on a whole other level. I can't even put into words my disappointment in the non-relationship between Cinna and Katniss. I adore Cinna, but it's hard to feel that way about a character who shows up for three minutes in the film.

Then there's Peeta's stalker response of how he watched Katniss walk home every day. Uh, okay creeper. I LOVE PEETA! I fell for that boy the very first time I read the book (Gale is a child killing jerk). Peeta's innocent love that builds in the cave that Katniss has to pretend to reciprocate makes my heart ache when he realizes at the end that it is all a show for her. Not to mention that not having Katniss narrate this story leaves out all the conflict she truly feels about killing Peeta and then the betrayal when she sees him with the Career Tributes. These are the kind of details that make the story worth telling but are left out of the film.

Need I mention they completely neglect to explain the significance of the Mockingyjay?! How do you let that go Suzanne? 

 The cinematography is definitely something to note. The costuming and set design is phenomenal. Yet, I really wanted someone to invest in a damn tripod. I get the rough, hand-held camera bit at the cornucopia so that the violence feels more chaotic and you can't really see it happening. But to keep using that method while running through the woods or just standing still mostly gave me a headache.

In the end I decided the book is a quicker read than the first half of the film. And even though the movie started to pick up and get really good towards the end, the absence of a lot of detail and character development leaves The Hunger Games lacking. Will I own it? Probably. Will I see Catching Fire? Of course. No matter where the movie makers failed, one thing's for certain: Jennifer Lawrence is one hell of an actress!