Thursday, March 22, 2012

Mini Movie Review - Hunger Games

Thanks to the brilliant Famous Magazine on Facebook, I was able to attend an advance screening of Suzanne Collins's best-selling series, The Hunger Games. Like so many fans across the globe, I've loved this series for a very long time and like so many of us (you know who you are out there), I was so excited and fully pumped to see this book come to life and be able to see my beloved characters on screen and fall back in love with them yet again. So what's my overall verdict on the movie? Well, let me quickly respond through GIF form - the first gif being me walking out of the cinema, the second gif being what I thought of the movie on a whole, and the third gif being me on what I thought after that second gif reaction which is plenty much self-explanatory to most of you.

PhotobucketPhotobucket


Photobucket


To be honest with you all here, there's not one book-turned-movie adaptation that I've been fully satisfied with. Harry Potter for one was a great film series and I certainly give them that, but they weren't as EPIC as the books. However, the Hunger Games has proven to me that the director and everyone else involved in this movie project (actors and all) have truly listened to the author - like really, really listened - and followed the correct protocol on pleasing its huge fan-base of readers. There's nothing bad I could say about this book and I'm glad.


As soon as the movie came on with words speaking of the Hunger Games, everyone was sucked in with eager eyes and everyone - judging by the applause that ended the advance screening session - was amazed by this film and were left with a smile on their face. It wasn't hidden and that's for sure. As I was seated (in a really comfortable chair mind you) and began watching the film, I was glued to the screen within a second and for those who weren't lucky enough to attend an early screening (which I'm sure will change because some of you are seeing the midnight sessions as we speak) and are not sure if the film was worthy of all the hype or will make the book proud . . . well let me tell you something . . . the hype was spot on. Twilight never impressed me with the films but boy Hunger Games . . . you were awesome and indescribable. Sure there were a few changes with scenes (a little sad on my part but hey what can you do?) and even the ending was slightly different compared to the book, but the movie has stuck to the book which is the main thing we all want and I found myself whispering inside my head the same lines that were in the movie from the book, and the director himself has created something so honest and true. So well done for that, Gary Ross! Well done indeed.


Concerning the scenes and the ending changes, it was no big deal. Really. I understand you can't put every single detail into the movie because of the time slot and everything, and while it may be a little 'awwwwww' for us fans but really it was no big deal and anything that was left out wasn't needed in the end and you got the gist on what happened with those missing scenes. I mean, pretty much the majority of the movie was the same as the book itself and it was awe-inspiring to see my mind of the Hunger Games, from the words spoken by the characters to the surroundings that were once in my head but now are not, come onto the screen.


When it came to the casting, it was perfect. Bloody perfect. Katniss played by Jennifer Lawrence was just how I imagined Katniss to be like and nobody else could've played her character any better than Jen did. She captured every single emotion Katniss felt in the book . . . you could just see it in her eyes. Then there's Peeta played by Josh Hutcherson whom was just as good-looking, sweet and beautiful as the one in my head, and I just love you Josh for bringing him to life. *sighs thinking about him* And of course, Gale played by Liam Hemsworth, man I love you for bringing my man onto the screen. While Gale doesn't have much of a part - if not at all in the book and film - but Liam . . . I'm definitely looking forward to seeing much more of you in the next film because you and Gale are just as gorgeous and are the perfect suit, and you're exactly how I saw Gale in my head. And yes, clearly I'm a Gale fan readers. And there's no Hunger Games without some laughter and heart in it, and all my high praises go to the actors playing Haymitch, Cinna, Effie, President Snow, Rue . . . all of you were perfect and were EXACTLY the characters in my head. Haymitch in particular . . . oh Woody you made me smile and laugh every single time you came onto the screen and since Haymitch was one of my favourite supporting characters . . . you certainly did him justice. Bless you!


Overall, without breaking blogger with an overload of my feelings and reactions towards the film, I can say without a doubt in my mind that the Hunger Games is definitely my favourite book-turned-movie and bless the whole cast for making everything so spot on and making me have so many conflicting thoughts and feelings about it. I admit the book may have been heaps better than the movie (the books always are better) but overall this film has become one of a kind for me and will be a classic and an unforgettable hit for all. *fangal freakout continues*

18 comments:

  1. Wonderful post and loved the gifs! You are so lucky to have gone to an advanced showing! I'm a extremely jelly of you right now! But your review of the movie makes me want to fastforward time right now to Friday!

    Shortskie
    Rondo of a Possible World

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Hope you enjoy the movie on Friday! Worth the wait!

      Delete
  2. Love the "I'm so happy right now!" gif. Love this review - I'm ten out ten excited for this to just be released already!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that gif too. Glad you enjoyed my review!

      Delete
  3. Pfff, damn you Liam, you're making the girl even more of a Gale fan *shakes head* *does not understand* *goes to bake cakes with Peeta* It always makes me so happy when people say the casting was spot on, I am SO excited. And Haymitch!! I know how eager you were for him and Cinna. Glad they met expectations :D

    I so know what you mean about books-to-movies. I mean, I'm one of the biggest HP fans on the planet, but the movies haven't really been a favourite of mine. Save for DH1 and DH2. Obviously the books will always be better, but I actually enjoyed those last films for what they were. I, uh, always used to complain when I left the cinema for the other ones. I have a feeling I'm not going to complain much with THG!!!

    Awesome review, Erin! *bounces*

    Also: I'm glad it was a really comfy chair hahaha <3

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Brodie . . . how can you NOT love Gale and his awesomeness. I love Peeta and everything about him is very appealing . . . but Gale . . . he's the man. But moving on, Haymitch and Cinna were perfect! Loved them so much in the film!

      Trust me you won't complain with this film. It stuck to the book most of the time. Anyway yes it was a very comfy chair. ;)

      Delete
  4. OH MY GOSH!!! You're SO SO lucky that you got to go to an advance screening for The Hunger Games movie! I already bought my tickets for Friday and your movie-review made me ever more excited! I wasn't too sure about the cast before, but now I'm REALLY excited to watch JL and everyone else be as amazing as you say! :)

    Thanks for squashing an uber-fangirl's fears, Erin!! x)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not a problem! Glad my review helped your fears!

      Delete
  5. Glad you enjoyed it! I loved it too :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. I skimmed this because I'm trying to go in not knowing too much about the film version but you have me really excited now!! 2.5 hours to go :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. There was plenty of bad I had to say about it lol. But overall, I seriously enjoyed it. If I compared it to the book, it just missed SO MUCH AWESOMENESS. But as a movie in its own right, it was great.

    And the casting was pure perfection. Other than Woody (and very potentially Lenny), I don't have a bad word to say about them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Really? That's a shame. I loved it. I'm just happy they stuck to the most of the book and even with some things left out or changed . . . I didn't care. So you didn't like Woody . . . really? He was the best part for me. haha.

      Delete
  8. I didn't make it past the train scene in the book, but after seeing the trailer I was really quite interested in seeing the movie. And I loved it. I thought it was fantastic, and the problems I had with the slow pacing of the novel were gone in the movie. Although I would have liked to see some more of the fighting (which probably makes me a horrible person :)) But I was expecting more Lord of the Rings type stuff I think.

    I have to admit though, I don't like that she ends up with Peeta purely because based on the trailer, I thought it was going to be all about Gale. I can't help but think of Peeta as the Mike Newton of The Hunger Games.

    But I am definitely going to see the next two movies, I thought this one was great.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ERIN! SOOOO glad you liked it! I kind of get what you mean... I mean, not book to movie is EVER going to keep everyone happy, and details from the books which we adore will always be missed, and someone will always have something to say about it, but I thought it was handled beautifully.... removing the book from equation (not really possible, I know), the movie was great as a whole all of its own right. SOOOO happy! It was such a lonvingly done adaptation, and AAAAAAAAAH! SO GOOD! I want to go see it again. NOW! :D

    ReplyDelete
  10. OOo Bloody perfect cast...check
    Ending changes, no big deal...check
    Hunger Games most fave book turned movie...score!!!

    If you can't tell I haven't seen it yet, but I so am!! Wonderful mini review , I am so eager to see this movie. Might go with my chicky friend this week:D

    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  11. My favourite book-to-movie adaptation too. Jennifer Lawrence was just amazing. I was not expecting the film to be so good, I was fully prepared to be disappointed, but instead was shocked by its awesomeness. Wanna watch it again!

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...