Movie #604 ........................."The Hunger Games"

Movie #604 "The Hunger Games": --- let the games begin! Been waiting for this one since I read the first book (just started the second one, yesterday), wondering how they would do it, and I really wasn't very disappointed. It was intriguing from beginning to end. The Reaping reminded me so much of the film we used to show of the short story "The Lottery" --- the games themselves looked like the Survivor so much, with Stanley Tucci playing the Probst guy. The two young kids (Lawrence and Hutcherson) do a really good job as Peeta and Kat, but the guy they got to play Gale was quite a disappointment to me --- Oh, don't get me wrong, he's a pretty boy, but he looked like he walked onto the set saying: "Hello, I'm doing this famous film and I wanted to look my best!" Come on, he's nothing like how he came across in book 1 ---- he's supposed to be a hunter and I think I saw a tag on his costume that said "L. L, Bean" ---- his hair looks too much of our time, and he's not a very good actor ------and he and Kat start up the film, so I was a bit frightened that the film would continue in a hoaky fashion, but Peeta and Cinna and Haymitch didn't disappoint! All good, I thought. Just a few more gripes, though --- the hand held camera swirling around, and the lack of character development of Rue (and some other of the tributes) were my two biggest. And Just a shout out to Josh Hutcherson, whom I have watched grow up in films from "Bridge of Teribithia," to "Little Manhattan," to "The Kids Are All Right" --- he's really sincere and makes a good Peeta. Now, as far as the violence and the PG13 rating --- I must admit, when you see the young kids out to get each other, there's something unsettling, but you have to keep reminding yourself (and your kids) that it is science fiction, and that this is a guess at what might happen if we don't straighten ourselves up right now! The violence is shown with hand held camera shots, way too fast to follow anything, so easier to take. But it's up to the parents whether their kids can watch it. I feel the book is better, but this is a good attempt to get it on screen! and I say, Let the Games continue!






Gave it 4.2 out of 5 stars
The Hunger Games
(2012) PG-13
In a dystopian future ruled by a totalitarian regime, resourceful Katniss and her partner Peeta represent their district in the lethal Hunger Games, a televised survival competition in which teenage contestants hunt each other to the death.
Genre:Action & Adventure, Action Thrillers