My husband and I went to see the Hunger Games movie the weekend it was released, and I thought the movie was really well done. I really wanted to retread the book since it was years since I first read it. This past weekend I reread the book, and it gave me a new appreciation for the movie.
When a book is turned into a movie, it's very important to me that the actors they choose are new to me and not popular actors/actresses. If the trailer doesn't match what I thought the characters look like, I don't want to subject myself to the movie. The Hunger Games trailer looked amazing to me, and I was excited to see it. I thought all the actors did a fantastic job portraying their characters. Jennifer Lawrence was awesome! The Capitol and District 12 were perfect! I thought the movie captured the essence of both places.
I felt the Games were a little rushed in the movie however, after rereading the book I realized most of the main events were included. Books are able to portray more about a characters mindset and I guess that's what I missed in the movie. I wanted the audience to really understand Katniss and who she is as a person and where she came from.
Is it just me or did they not really include the Avoxs? I don't remember seeing the Avoxs in the capitol or the explanation of who they are.
I remembered Katniss and Peeta's relationship a little differently, once I reread the book I realized that it ended with Katniss really confused and up in the air about how she felt. I didn't realized the games influenced their relationship so much. I forgot about the rule change and only remember the berries at the end.
I wish Gale would have gotten more screen time, their relationship is very important. I don't think the audience realized that Katniss and Gale had mutual/hidden feelings for one another. I'm still team Peeta, but Gale is great as well.
Also, the changing of where the mockingjay pin came from bothered me.
So, what did you think about the movie? Any changes you wish they would or wouldn't have made?
I thought the movie was really good too. I felt the same as you did about Gale needing more screen time. It seemed he was barely in the movie at all.
ReplyDeleteThey definitely didn't explain about the Avox's etc. I didn't notice much in terms of what they left out (except for explaining Peeta's actions of joining with the group at the beginning of the games). I did like the extra bits they added in like the control room for example.
ReplyDeleteWow, I agree with everything you said!! I wish Gale was there more.. I forgot about the rule change as well and had only remembered the berries too. As for the avox's, there was one character who I felt like didn't talk at all (wasn't one of her hairdressers or something an avox) so I figured that was it, but yeah they didn't actually introduce them in the movie in any way. Maybe they'll focus on that more in the next movie?
ReplyDeleteI definitely plan on seeing the movie with my husband soon. It seems like most people are happy with the adaption so I am looking forward to seeing it.
ReplyDeleteI'll be posting about the movie later, but I did think it was a decent portrayal of the book, but it missed a lot of the social commentary. Including the avox would have helped.
ReplyDeleteI came here bright and early so I could wish you a happy birthday and I forgot! Happy birthday to you!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your criticisms. I also wished they would have left the salute to Katniss be from District 11 rather than District 12. But they only had so much time, so I thought they did pretty good, and I know people who didn't read the book but only saw the movie still managed to follow it.
ReplyDeleteSee I do think Gale and Katniss and what they mean to each other shows. In the way it hurts him to hear. In the way he visited her before she left. In how he cared for her family. Their relationship I think really translated well.
ReplyDeleteBut Peeta and Katniss I don't think translated well enough.
Great review!
I haven't seen the movie yet, but plan to this weekend, if I can. It seems like a lot of people were really happy with the adaptation, and that the characters were portrayed really well. I will have to get back to you once I've seen it and let you know what I think!
ReplyDeleteAre the avoxs the people who've had their tongues cut out? I can't remember since it's been forever since I've read the book. I think the only mention of that was made at the very beginning when Katniss is talking to Gale before the games. She says something about having their tongues cut out then. The only other major thing that I noticed they left out was with the dog-creatures at the end. In the books I believe they had the eyes of the all the fallen tributes and that wasn't really alluded to in the movie:) Still, I thought it was brilliant overall, and I can't wait to see what they do with the next 2 books!
ReplyDeleteI pretty much had all the same feelings you did. About Gale, the pin, and I was disturbed by how much more sober Haymitch was in the film. I wish they had done a better job with the Katnis/Peeta relationship. The full impact of it wasn't felt for me. But overall I still feel like it was a good adaptation.
ReplyDeleteThere were Avoxes in the movie. They were the servants with dark red hair. They kind of blended in with the background. They weren't discussed. I thought Gale got more face time in the movie than he got in the book.
ReplyDeleteHaymtich was a lot more sober than I thought he would be.
I also really enjoyed the movie and thought it was a great adaptation. I, too, had totally forgotten about the rule change at the end and had only remembered the berries. I thought the casting was fabulous and I wouldn't have changed the actors portraying any of the characters.
ReplyDeleteI hope we don't have to wait too long for the release of the Catching Fire, although I know filming hasn't started yet :-(
Didn't see the movie yet...I'm waiting for all the hype to calm down. I too want to reread the book now.
ReplyDeleteIt's been forever since I've read the book, but I think they did a fantastic job with the movie. I wasn't sold on the picks for cast at first, but they all ended up working well for me.
ReplyDeleteIt made my husband want to read the book which makes me happy.
Brandi from Blkosiner’s Book Blog
Some of the things that they changed or left out didn't make sense to me. I didn't like that the dynamic of Peeta and Katniss's relationship changed. I also wish that they had explained the Mockingjay more as that becomes a huge thing in the later books.
ReplyDeleteOverall though, I thought the movie was really good!