I've heard lots of people against this film, or at the very least, neutral. However, seeing a clip from the second film made me want to watch the series (after having read the books many times), and I was quite impressed.
Everything about the film makes a clear effort with clear intent, and it does well. It's appropriately emotional and grim in all the right places, and knows the message of the books and follows through on that. All of the performances have nice realism and there's frequently some great subtlety in the characters' interactions. Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson are particularly notable, and are irreplaceable as their characters. Most of the film follows the book, and where it diverges plot-wise, it's either a necessity or generally ineffectual to the plot.
The exposition is notable, as this film tells the narration-heavy story of the book without any recorded narration for Katniss at all. All we get is some text introducing the concept of the world, and some notes for the locations we're in. The rest is told through clever shots and the film is able to leave the Games to give us shots of the districts and commentating that drops pieces of knowledge we got from Katniss' narration in the book. It's an admirable adaptation that gets across all it needs to without a single entry to thought-voiceover. Seeing the behind-the-scenes of the Games is also a really nice addition that gives us some valuable insight into the Capitol and its strategy with the Games and districts, and there's some nice stuff laid outside the Games that segues into the tensions later in the books.
The cinematography I actually thought was excellent. The motion of the camera and the various shots are all calculated for the right mood. Effie Trinket is made monstrous through disconcerting close-ups, the horror of the Games is conveyed yet censored well with shaky cam, and there are judicious uses of score as well. Perhaps some cuts and scenes don't flow together well, but I liked their efforts.
This is a really nice film that does a lot with what it's given, and I was pleasantly surprised. If this is the weakest entry, I'm glad I'm seeing the others.
Much better than expected.
I've heard lots of people against this film, or at the very least, neutral. However, seeing a clip from the second film made me want to watch the series (after having read the books many times), and I was quite impressed.
Everything about the film makes a clear effort with clear intent, and it does well. It's appropriately emotional and grim in all the right places, and knows the message of the books and follows through on that. All of the performances have nice realism and there's frequently some great subtlety in the characters' interactions. Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Banks, and Woody Harrelson are particularly notable, and are irreplaceable as their characters. Most of the film follows the book, and where it diverges plot-wise, it's either a necessity or generally ineffectual to the plot.
The exposition is notable, as this film tells the narration-heavy story of the book without any recorded narration for Katniss at all. All we get is some text introducing the concept of the world, and some notes for the locations we're in. The rest is told through clever shots and the film is able to leave the Games to give us shots of the districts and commentating that drops pieces of knowledge we got from Katniss' narration in the book. It's an admirable adaptation that gets across all it needs to without a single entry to thought-voiceover. Seeing the behind-the-scenes of the Games is also a really nice addition that gives us some valuable insight into the Capitol and its strategy with the Games and districts, and there's some nice stuff laid outside the Games that segues into the tensions later in the books.
The cinematography I actually thought was excellent. The motion of the camera and the various shots are all calculated for the right mood. Effie Trinket is made monstrous through disconcerting close-ups, the horror of the Games is conveyed yet censored well with shaky cam, and there are judicious uses of score as well. Perhaps some cuts and scenes don't flow together well, but I liked their efforts.
This is a really nice film that does a lot with what it's given, and I was pleasantly surprised. If this is the weakest entry, I'm glad I'm seeing the others.