The Hunger Games: A Snarky Review

Sorry, no pictures to accompany this blog either because Julie and I forgot in all the excitement and making fun of the girls dressed as Katniss.

To preface this post: I liked the book The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I didn't like the other two in the series, but I liked the first one. You should also know that the movie was one that I would see if the opportunity arose, but I wasn't super-excited for it or counting down or anything. So when my friend Julie had an extra ticket for the midnight showing last night I was happy to take it off her hands (and see the movie with someone as awesome as Julie). This is my review of the movie.

Overall I really liked it, but it's no fun to point out all the things you love in a movie, so instead I'm going to tell you all the things I didn't like in a (hopefully) funny way.

• You know how when you watch old home movies where a kid had the camera it's so shaky you get sea-sick? Yeah, most of the movie was like that. There were a few times where I had to close my eyes because I was getting dizzy from the "artistic" cinematography.
• I had a really hard time getting over the fact that the guy who plays Gale is dating Miley Cyrus in real life. Ew.
• The beginning was SO slow and then suddenly it warps into hyper-speed and ends so suddenly that Julie and I looked at each other and said, "That's the end?"
• Peeta's hair was horrible! Especially at the end when they have him in a bright blue suit and black t-shirt. Just push up those sleeves and he'd be doing a great Don Johnson impression.
• It really felt like they were adding Cinna as another love interest. Seriously, every time Katniss and Cinna had a scene together I was sure they would start making out.
• I thought it was a little hilarious how Katniss always looked perfect, even when they were supposed to be all dirty and grungy. Peeta was all beat up looking and she looked daisy fresh!
• Lastly, I thought it was really bloody. I know the book is, but I had hoped they do a more Hitchcock-esque-implied-but-not-seen take to the blood. Nope, they went for the jugular (pun intended).

All in all it was good, but not great. They could have made it so much more than it was, but nobody asked me.

Have you seen it? What did you think?