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The Hunger Games (Dir. Gary Ross) |OT| May The Odds Be Ever In Your Favor

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Saw the movie last Friday, not too far into the book (mostly due to the writing style turning me off), but the movie was alright for the most part. Also, the jump cuts and shaky cam were a bit too much (and I'm someone who didn't mind them in the Bourne series or Quantum of Solace) at times.

It kept me entertained and I'll probably watch the next two movies for sure - either in the theater or on BD.
 

RangersFan

Member
I just finished the book trilogy in 4 days, will I enjoy the movie?

edit: I should add I enjoyed the books very much, even book 3 which many didn't like.

just got back from matinee showing and I am disappoint. :( The first 45 mins or so had a lot of promise imo. I loved the style Ross used when showing 12, shaky cam and all, it gave it a very "realistic" this world exists type of feeling. Of course because a book has to be condensed into a film I was understanding of the liberties they took, they did stay pretty true to the book. I would say every thing leading up to the games was good, but once the games started is when I feel the film went downhill. I understand about keeping it pg-13, but I just didn't get the sense of "struggle" as much as the books portrayed. Like Katniss finding water immediately, where as it was quite a struggle in the book. Again I understand it's a 2h30m film, but the games really had a rushed feeling. Katniss and Peeta really struggle to keep each other alive, that becomes a constant theme of the series, but I just didn't feel it enough I guess in film. I also would have liked it more if they show the "team" relationship between Haymitch Peeta and Katniss more, and how Haymitch and Katniss have that unspeakable understanding of each other. I guess I'm viewing it too much with concern of how ppl who didn't read the books perceive certain things. Like I don't know if they explained it clearly enough to the non readers why the games take place. How the outer districts differ greatly from the Capital and the closer districts, I mean they tried to touch on that, but not enough imo. The casting imo is the strongest quality of this franchise. They nailed most of the main characters imo. Haymitch, Katniss, Peeta, Effie, Cinna, Gale, Ceasar, were all great choices. And the settings and the world were portrayed very well too. Even though it wasn't as good as I hoped it still probably would be a very good film for someone who has not read the books.
 

Flatline

Banned
What a forgettable movie. I trusted the imdb and rottentomatoes ratings and went thinking it would be more than mediocre and it turned out the definition of mediocrity. Mediocre story, mediocre characters and a terrible love story, if it can be called that.
 

Misterhbk

Member
And yet there are plenty of people that like the first half of the movie leading up to the games far more than the rest of the movie. Opinions, how do they work? The beginning sets up the character introduction, how the districts feel about the games, builds tension for the selection of candidates, does some brief world building, and sets up the protagonists motivations. What could be cut without hurting the movie? What plot holes? I agree that this movie is over hyped but I still found it to be good and I haven't read the books. Your post feels full of hyperbole.

yes, I know how opinions work, I'm simply giving mine, and this is how I feel, if you disagree, then so be it.

plot holes?

75 years of the games and the people haven't figured out that the beginning is just a blood bath that they should all avoid?

You're sent into a free for all death match, yet you're having fun, sitting around camp fire's with people that could easily kill you while you sleep?

What on earth is 4 days worth of training going to do to increase these kids odds?

Why was katniss the only one who got sponsors? Even though the district 1 kids were training for 18 years and would clearly have an advantage?

Why couldn't the girl who had PERFECT aim with the throwing knives throw them at Katniss while she was in that tree and they were all below her?

I could honestly go on, but I'll stop there.
 
yes, I know how opinions work, I'm simply giving mine, and this is how I feel, if you disagree, then so be it.

plot holes?

75 years of the games and the people haven't figured out that the beginning is just a blood bath that they should all avoid?

You're sent into a free for all death match, yet you're having fun, sitting around camp fire's with people that could easily kill you while you sleep?

What on earth is 4 days worth of training going to do to increase these kids odds?

Why was katniss the only one who got sponsors? Even though the district 1 kids were training for 18 years and would clearly have an advantage?

Why couldn't the girl who had PERFECT aim with the throwing knives throw them at Katniss while she was in that tree and they were all below her?

I could honestly go on, but I'll stop there.

A movie should stand on its own, no argument, so what i am about to say comes from the "its kinda in the book, yo!" camp. Because the books are from kats view, you get insight by nature of the story unfolding that you dont get in the movie unless they have a scrip full of exposition.

Its called the hunger games because the kids have to survive as well as fight each other. Going into the arena with nothing, is almost sure death. In the book, it took place over 3 weeks and the few things kat got in her pack saved her life. Again, these are kids that grew up forced to watch these games. They know what happens to the ill prepared.

Alliances are a huge part of the games. It helps guarantee survival for a while, but there is always that risk. Again, its kinds of inferred in the book that victors who broke alliances by killing people in their sleep come back to a district that hates them, so its taboo. Thats a weak argument, but still, humans are social creatures. Its natural to try and team up even when faced with death.

The training is indeed almost useless for the kids. Sure they may pick up one or two skills that may save them one or two times in the arena, but the real purpose is for the gamemakers to judge their overall skills and have the tributes measure each other up.

Katniss got the sponsors, because it was Haymitch and Peetas plan to have them be sympathetic lovers to win the stupid oogling capital crowd. This is a sport for them and it gave them someone special to root for. Kat got the stuff because Peeta made Haymitch swear to make sure she got out alive, and since he controls where the money/gifts go it all went to her. Also, the entire thing was from her perspective, for all we know the other kids did have sponsors.

The tree thing does seem silly. Again, in the books, she does throw knives, which katniss jokingly thanks her for when they miss and she collects some. It really is suppose to be a crazy high tree and hundreds of thick branches in the way.

Anyway, i know debating is pointless really, since you made up your mind already, but its fun for me!
 

Misterhbk

Member
A movie should stand on its own, no argument, so what i am about to say comes from the "its kinda in the book, yo!" camp. Because the books are from kats view, you get insight by nature of the story unfolding that you dont get in the movie unless they have a scrip full of exposition.

Its called the hunger games because the kids have to survive as well as fight each other. Going into the arena with nothing, is almost sure death. In the book, it took place over 3 weeks and the few things kat got in her pack saved her life. Again, these are kids that grew up forced to watch these games. They know what happens to the ill prepared.

Alliances are a huge part of the games. It helps guarantee survival for a while, but there is always that risk. Again, its kinds of inferred in the book that victors who broke alliances by killing people in their sleep come back to a district that hates them, so its taboo. Thats a weak argument, but still, humans are social creatures. Its natural to try and team up even when faced with death.

The training is indeed almost useless for the kids. Sure they may pick up one or two skills that may save them one or two times in the arena, but the real purpose is for the gamemakers to judge their overall skills and have the tributes measure each other up.

Katniss got the sponsors, because it was Haymitch and Peetas plan to have them be sympathetic lovers to win the stupid oogling capital crowd. This is a sport for them and it gave them someone special to root for. Kat got the stuff because Peeta made Haymitch swear to make sure she got out alive, and since he controls where the money/gifts go it all went to her. Also, the entire thing was from her perspective, for all we know the other kids did have sponsors.

The tree thing does seem silly. Again, in the books, she does throw knives, which katniss jokingly thanks her for when they miss and she collects some. It really is suppose to be a crazy high tree and hundreds of thick branches in the way.

Anyway, i know debating is pointless really, since you made up your mind already, but its fun for me!
Okay I completely see what you're saying, and I suppose for those who read the books they probably gathered all of that immediately. I however didn't read the books and like you said, the movie should stand on its own without needing the book to defend its shortcomings.

I guess my biggest issue really comes from the fact that it all felt so rushed. the premise for the movie is great, although not original, it just could have been delivered better. I was expecting some struggle in the games and it all seemed a little too easy.

I also would have liked it they would have gone into a bit of detail with the other characters in the games. We knew so little about them. It could have made a world of difference if some of these kids that were dying had even an ounce of personality. Even the main antagonist were pretty meh.

although the knife girl was freakin awesome! Simply put she was a badass and I grew much more fond of her than I did of Katniss. That has more to do with me than the movie though
 
Okay I completely see what you're saying, and I suppose for those who read the books they probably gathered all of that immediately. I however didn't read the books and like you said, the movie should stand on its own without needing the book to defend its shortcomings.

I guess my biggest issue really comes from the fact that it all felt so rushed. the premise for the movie is great, although not original, it just could have been delivered better. I was expecting some struggle in the games and it all seemed a little too easy.

I also would have liked it they would have gone into a bit of detail with the other characters in the games. We knew so little about them. It could have made a world of difference if some of these kids that were dying had even an ounce of personality. Even the main antagonist were pretty meh.

although the knife girl was freakin awesome! Simply put she was a badass and I grew much more fond of her than I did of Katniss. That has more to do with me than the movie though

I have a feeling that you will be loving the new characters in the 2nd book / movie.
 
Okay I completely see what you're saying, and I suppose for those who read the books they probably gathered all of that immediately. I however didn't read the books and like you said, the movie should stand on its own without needing the book to defend its shortcomings.

I guess my biggest issue really comes from the fact that it all felt so rushed. the premise for the movie is great, although not original, it just could have been delivered better. I was expecting some struggle in the games and it all seemed a little too easy.

I also would have liked it they would have gone into a bit of detail with the other characters in the games. We knew so little about them. It could have made a world of difference if some of these kids that were dying had even an ounce of personality. Even the main antagonist were pretty meh.

although the knife girl was freakin awesome! Simply put she was a badass and I grew much more fond of her than I did of Katniss. That has more to do with me than the movie though

Im with you bro. The build up was great, but the actual games seemed too easy. Again, in the books, she had it really rough. Dehydration, hunger, injuries. If the movie skipped all the build up, im sure we would have had a grittier movie of her trying to live. It was already 2 and a half hours, so they fit what they could and by adaptation standards it did a remarkable job hitting every major note, with actors who pulled it off. But again, being an adaptation, having it all from her view and she has no reason to get to know the other people to build personalities. Hell, she barely wants to get to know peeta because she fears she would have to kill him.

The only liberties they took by breaking away from kat was the gamemakers and president snow stuff which was cool and helped sell a bit more that they were less than pleased at what she did.

EDIT: ^ Demosthenes is right. Its more focused and the opportunity to know these new people are there.
 
yes, I know how opinions work, I'm simply giving mine, and this is how I feel, if you disagree, then so be it.

plot holes?

75 years of the games and the people haven't figured out that the beginning is just a blood bath that they should all avoid?

You're sent into a free for all death match, yet you're having fun, sitting around camp fire's with people that could easily kill you while you sleep?

What on earth is 4 days worth of training going to do to increase these kids odds?

Why was katniss the only one who got sponsors? Even though the district 1 kids were training for 18 years and would clearly have an advantage?

Why couldn't the girl who had PERFECT aim with the throwing knives throw them at Katniss while she was in that tree and they were all below her?

I could honestly go on, but I'll stop there.
You're perfectly entitled to yours, I guess I just didn't like your phrasing. It made it sound like anyone that enjoyed it is full of it and just raved about it because they enjoy the books. Anyway, the plot hole discussion is more interesting so lets talk more about that.

For sure they should know about the blood bath but it's more of a reminder because when you're in the moment, you can panic and lose all sense. Even after that tip, she still was staring at the bow and then we see Peeta shaking for her to not do it. Kids just panic and rush for weapons.

The group of kids traveling together do it for honor, they voluntarily enter the games for this purpose so they trust each other to uphold that honor as per their agreement. They are also really arrogant and take unnecessary chances as a result. They are sadistic and train to kill their whole lives, so to them it is a fun event. At least until they eliminate all but each other.

It's not true training, it's more of a warmup session before the games and before demonstrating their skill for sponsors as well as a chance to learn some fundamentals and advice from their mentors.

What makes you think the other kids didn't get sponsors and help? We only saw them when they camped under the tree. Who's to say they didn't get assistance after the hornet incident. I'm sure they did, they all had to have been stun some by that attack.

People here said the book makes the tree a lot taller (80 ft) and she gets up there before they approach it. I think it was just an issue because they made the tree smaller in the movie so the distance she was at seemed plausible to hit with a knife or sword. If she was 80 ft. up like in the book, no way they'd hit her. It's as if the film makers kept those details in mind when they shot the scene, and just didn't think about how low the tree actually looked in their film. A technical oversight rather than a plot hole. That said, for people like us that didn't read the book, it did look bad.
 
When I read about the lizards I figured it was some human/lizard mutt hybrid, I could be wrong though.

I dont believe they are.

She just confused them with peace keepers at a distance because they have snow white skin like peacekeeper uniforms.

The real wtf will be the
pods. That some nightmare fun house shit right there.

I just cant see that book in two movies, unless they add a ton of stuff to flesh stuff out.
 
I watched it a few days ago and loved it. I loved the
rue death scene and subsequent riot in district 11, but then I've always had a thing for subversion and rejection of oppressive authority.

I'll definitely be seeing this again and reading all of the books. Also: I wouldn't sleep at all if I was in that arena, or if I did I'd do it during the day high up in the tree and then stalk everyone at night. As much as I like to think I'd stand a chance in that situation I'd be killed straight away if I fought fairly.

Also: I watched it without reading the books and didn't realise the significance of the mockingjay pin (and Cinna) until I read about it on wikipedia.
 

NJ Shlice

Member
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Jokergrin

Member
This was my thought process i went through:


1. Why they heck is she
being all affectionate with Peeta, this seems out of character for her?

2. Afterwards I realize,
oh it turns out she was faking it to manipulate the audience, ok cool. Guess I missed that.

*after the movie I spoil the 3rd book's ending for myself*
3.
Wait she ends up married to Peeta? what the heck


lol
 
This was my thought process i went through:


1. Why they heck is she
being all affectionate with Peeta, this seems out of character for her?

2. Afterwards I realize,
oh it turns out she was faking it to manipulate the audience, ok cool. Guess I missed that.

*after the movie I spoil the 3rd book's ending for myself*
3.
Wait she ends up married to Peeta? what the heck


lol

On your #3 (series spoilers)
Peeta obviously has been in love w/ Katniss the whole series. Her feelings develop for him over the series. She basically loves Gale and Peeta, and ends up choosing Peeta as he is a better fit for her after all that has happened. Also Gale is partially responsible (the tactic was developed by Gale/Beetee) for someone close to her being killed. Basically if the games never happened it would have been Gale/Katniss, but she changed too much, and Peeta was a better fit for her by the end of the series, a better fit for what she needed.
 

mm04

Member
Never read the books, but have access to them. I enjoyed the movie on its own merits. I'll read the book after the fact to fill in the blanks.
 

JdFoX187

Banned
I just realized the kid that played Peeta was the annoying kid from the two Journey movies. Never put that together until I was looking on IMDb for something yesterday and saw that.
 

ABACA

Banned
Can't wait to see how they film the third book. Seems like it will be the most difficult to film
especially if they want to keep a PG-13 rating.

I'd like to see it as split between segments where Katnis is concious and holed up in a corner/wandering aimlessly/etc. and nightmares where most of the exposition takes place. If the first book was a trojan horse depicting class strugle and the nature of family relative to the means of production dressed up as a love triangle for the vampires and werewolves audience, the third book is an l-shaped ambush. I hope the movie is an ambush, too, and doesn't try to make itself more appealing to a mass market audience.
 
Hey GAF, I know this question must've been asked and answered several times already, but I don't have the resolve to look it up in the 39 pages this thread have : I just saw the movie and even if I found some things that bothered me / broke my suspension of disbelief, it was still pretty entertaining. I found there wasn't enough exposition though, any chance I'd like the books ? Are the movies different from them ? Do they explain more things ?



Also lol @shaky cam, I hate this. It just spoils all the good action scenes.
 
Hey GAF, I know this question must've been asked and answered several times already, but I don't have the resolve to look it up in the 39 pages this thread have : I just saw the movie and even if I found some things that bothered me / broke my suspension of disbelief, it was still pretty entertaining. I found there wasn't enough exposition though, any chance I'd like the books ? Are the movies different from them ? Do they explain more things ?



Also lol @shaky cam, I hate this. It just spoils all the good action scenes.

Yes, yes & yes. Grab them, you'll enjoy them at least, I loved them.
 

jett

D-Member
This movie was some average stuff. I'd call it poor even. Let's face it, it actually pretty much sucked. I guess if you're a thirteen year-old girl I can see how you could think this thing was the greatest thing ever, but for me, no. I was hoping Gary Ross might elevate the source material, but nope. My god what was it with the use of shaky cam, pretty much the worst use of shaky cam in the history of shaky cam use. Awful.

While I was busy being bored as all fuck during the first half of the movie, I was hoping it'd have cool actions scenes in the second half. But nah, that just didn't happen at all.
 
This movie was some average stuff. I'd call it poor even. Let's face it, it actually pretty much sucked. I guess if you're a thirteen year-old girl I can see how you could think this thing was the greatest thing ever, but for me, no. I was hoping Gary Ross might elevate the source material, but nope. My god what was it with the use of shaky cam, pretty much the worst use of shaky cam in the history of shaky cam use. Awful.

While I was busy being bored as all fuck during the first half of the movie, I was hoping it'd have cool actions scenes in the second half. But nah, that just didn't happen at all.
Tag quote.


Also in the "things that made chuckle everytime in the movie but shouldn't have" : sorry, I couldn't see Effie Trinket as someone other than Dr Kim Briggs. I was like expecting a JD and Turk cameo for the whole movie, lol.
Also, Peeta. Sorry, this name can be funny when you eat Pita quite often (hhmmm shish kebab)

Off to buy the books then.
 
(Movie and some book spoilers)
Just saw the movie, and thought it was decent.
The romance storyline made me cringe so much though. I've heard that in the books Katniss was pretending to be in love to manipulate the audience but that's not really how it came across in the movie at all. It was just cheesy as hell.
 
I'm pretty sure they said it was longer than 4 days, something like 2 months?

Don't think they have training that long, but the point still stands, they don't care. They don't care that district 12 has lost nearly every time. If they cared they would stop 1 and 2 from training their young for the games. As some others said it's more to see who the strong/weak ones are so they can grade them and then place bets.
 

JGS

Banned
Saw it again this weekend with my brother. Still pissed Foxface didn't win. She was awesome!
Foxface was one of my favorites and I'm sure she was foreshadowing the trilogy some kind of way.

I really think she would have won unless the Playmakers cheated or if
Peeta had tasted the berries first
. She was like a higher level Rue.
(Movie and some book spoilers)
Just saw the movie, and thought it was decent.
The romance storyline made me cringe so much though. I've heard that in the books Katniss was pretending to be in love to manipulate the audience but that's not really how it came across in the movie at all. It was just cheesy as hell.
This is the opposite view of mine.
It was obvious in the movie, but the book spends time explaining her confusion about the matter.
 
Foxface was one of my favorites and I'm sure she was foreshadowing the trilogy some kind of way.

I really think she would have won unless the Playmakers cheated or if
Peeta had tasted the berries first
. She was like a higher level Rue.

Haha, I want to read about that alternate trilogy where he does that :lol.
 

Epcott

Member
Saw the movie Sunday.

It was entertaining, I like the small cuts of back-story about Kat's father, the design of the world (can't wait to see more of it in inevitable sequels), and drunk Woody...

but overall,

It felt like an "After School Special" version of Battle Royal (right down to the announcements of deaths), much like how Twilight is an "After School Special" version of Interview With a Vampire or a softcore teen offering of True Blood.

While watchable, it felt very neutered. Does the book shy away from graphic violence? I have it, but never bothered to read past the first chapter.
 

Dragon

Banned
Saw the movie Sunday.

It was entertaining, I like the small cuts of back-story about Kat's father, the design of the world (can't wait to see more of it in inevitable sequels), and drunk Woody...

but overall,

It felt like an "After School Special" version of Battle Royal (right down to the announcements of deaths), much like how Twilight is an "After School Special" version of Interview With a Vampire or a softcore teen offering of True Blood.

While watchable, it felt very neutered. Does the book shy away from graphic violence? I have it, but never bothered to read past the first chapter.

The book does not. They wanted to go with PG-13 for obvious reasons.
 

akira28

Member
I haven't read the books or seen the movie, not sure I'll do either. But is this at all more than just The Running Man for kids + teenage love triangle drama?
 

bengraven

Member
This was my thought process i went through:


1. Why they heck is she
being all affectionate with Peeta, this seems out of character for her?

2. Afterwards I realize,
oh it turns out she was faking it to manipulate the audience, ok cool. Guess I missed that.

*after the movie I spoil the 3rd book's ending for myself*
3.
Wait she ends up married to Peeta? what the heck


lol

Aw fuck, I highlighted all your spoilers thinking they were from just the movie. God dammit, I'm only halfway through the second book. Oh well, I wasn't that into the books anyway. ha
 
Saw the movie Sunday.

It was entertaining, I like the small cuts of back-story about Kat's father, the design of the world (can't wait to see more of it in inevitable sequels), and drunk Woody...

but overall,

It felt like an "After School Special" version of Battle Royal (right down to the announcements of deaths), much like how Twilight is an "After School Special" version of Interview With a Vampire or a softcore teen offering of True Blood.

While watchable, it felt very neutered. Does the book shy away from graphic violence? I have it, but never bothered to read past the first chapter.

Nope, it does not, some stuff that didn't happen in the movie:
Katniss losses her ear, and half her face is blown off from the mines. The cut on her head from the knife is gushing blood, Peeta losses his leg at the very end and some other stuff.

They wanted to keep it PG-13 but I feel like they could've done more. Movies 2, 3, & 4 are going to be insanely hard to keep PG-13.


I haven't read the books or seen the movie, not sure I'll do either. But is this at all more than just The Running Man for kids + teenage love triangle drama?

Spoilers found below are as general as you can be about book 2/3.
The actions of Katniss at the end of the first book/movie (74th games)
basically kick start the revolution that has been brewing for a long time now. All out war by book 3.
 

vareon

Member
I haven't read the books or seen the movie, not sure I'll do either. But is this at all more than just The Running Man for kids + teenage love triangle drama?

The series is about rebelling against a dystopia. The love triangle played minor role here other than being a hindrance to Katniss.
 

Foob

Member
i saw this and loved it for what it was

I feel like you might hate this if you've never read the books, though. The movie doesn't give you a lot of back story that you automatically fill in from your knowledge of the books.
 

Chris R

Member
He's 24 or 25. 10 years after he won his Games.

I know, but Katniss/Gale/Peeta are supposed to be 16-18 and are played by actors aged 19-22. I'm just saying, get an older looking actor instead of a 22-25 year old one. Late 20s or early 30s is all I'm asking.

edit: Someone like Dustin Clare would be perfect for the role I think. He was terrific in Spartacus.
 

AniHawk

Member
The names in the series are uniformly awful.

Peeta Mellark is probably the dumbest name for a fictional character ever.

i'm trying to place the time the series takes place.

75 years + rebellion wars
then some amount of time between the rebellion wars and the unification of panem under the capitol
then some amount of time between the unification of panem under the capitol and the chaos following the nuclear war
then some amount of time between now and the nuclear war

considering they still call the place 'north america' and everyone still speaks english (and the capitol people speak with a british accent), i'm guessing it hasn't been over 500 years or anything. maybe 200, or 300 years in our future... max.

so why does no one have the name thomas or william or anything else from our time? 300 years ago we had people named thomas and william. wouldn't the capitol people, especially the ones not in charge (like say, your tv personalities), not all revert to using naming conventions common in the roman empire?
 
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