Just went to see it with the girlfriend. I felt like I was getting weird looks since I walked out of the theater laughing like a mad man. That whole movie was hysterical. My god.
It was entertaining for what it was but holy crap everything about the film is fundamentally broken. I couldn't even make out any of the action or fight scenes, the shaky cam made everything unintelligible. Worse than the first transformers movie.
The mutts came up from the ground the same way the contestants did. Underground staging, pod's in tubes leading to surface of the arena. The Gamemasters were just leading Katiness and Peeta,toying them to confront Cato at the Cornecopa, so they were strategically releasing mutts to push them in that direction.
Few things in the games are accidents.
The arena's are built far in advance for the games - they are not simple forest areas. There is tons of tech, including a dome that doesn't let you pass, and thousands of cameras everywhere.
Though in the movie, yea, it wasn't stated - just implied.
I thought this is how the mutts was introduced but then you see two mutts literally come about from thin air and already programmed to chase them. One of the concerns I had about the mutts was that
the game obviously didn't want to kill everyone off; it's why they prevented the two from eating the berries at the end. They wanted at least one winner. Those mutts could've killed everyone off. What would've happened then?
Yeah, another thing unexplained in the movie was the Hunger Games arena was always man-made arenas and the theme for every year is different. Though I felt the movie went too sci-fi ish when they showed the holograms and shit. Should've let it vague.
I thought this is how the mutts was introduced but then you see two mutts literally come about from thin air and already programmed to chase them. One of the concerns I had about the mutts was that
the game obviously didn't want to kill everyone off; it's why they prevented the two from eating the berries at the end. They wanted at least one winner. Those mutts could've killed everyone off. What would've happened then?
They can simply called the mutts back or something. Or the mutts could have just heavily wounded the contestants and they would simply choose the one who survived last, however wounded he/she is.
Saw this last night (6 dollar night at te movies- Woohoo!)
Overall I must say it was very good. Liked the book better but at the same time enjoyed the missing back story.
- Jennifer Lawrence is great in this and plays Katniss fairly close to the book. In the "romantic" scenes, they have set it up pretty clearly to be a
ruse. However, they strangely let Peeta be in on it too which lessens the ending scene.
- The
Rue scene
was sufficiently heartbreaking. The girl who played Rue was probably my second favorite contestant.
- Loved Foxface too for sheer sneakiness
- I don't get why they changed the reason Katniss got a high score during the prelims.
- The shaky camera wasn't as bad as ones were stating except during the final scene
- I was far more impressed with the Capitol then expected but it was still far from perfect. The crowds and exterior shots were as imagined. The interiors and tech were less than stunning.
- The relationship parts were rushed as well. Contrary to reports this was slow, I think it went pretty fast considering the runtime. The time it took Haymitch to be a hopeless drunk to a sound, sober fellow was next to nothing.
Overall a very good adaptation, but I think it's taught me to watch the movie absent of knowedge of the book. I've tried this on too many occasions and leave somewhat disappointed.
Just got back from watching this. I can see the major similarities to Battle Royale and evening The Running Man.
I did enjoy it. But this is the first movie in a long long time where little plot holes bugged me. Like for instances how the hell did the alliance group came together, just shortly after the massacre at the start. That wasn't explained at all.
Just got back from watching this. I can see the major similarities to Battle Royale and evening The Running Man.
I did enjoy it. But this is the first movie in a long long time where little plot holes bugged me. Like for instances how the hell did the alliance group came together, just shortly after the massacre at the start. That wasn't explained at all.
Just got back from watching this. I can see the major similarities to Battle Royale and evening The Running Man.
I did enjoy it. But this is the first movie in a long long time where little plot holes bugged me. Like for instances how the hell did the alliance group came together, just shortly after the massacre at the start. That wasn't explained at all.
This wasn't explained in the book either unless it was in recap towards the end. Like in Survivor though, alliances are common in Hunger Games until you're not needed. I imagine peeta made a deal with them while also distracting them from killing Katniss.
The book implied they gave her the high score in order for people to go after her since she scared the judges. In the movie, they do it because she's just that talented.
This wasn't explained in the book either unless it was in recap towards the end. Like in Survivor though, alliances are common in Hunger Games until you're not needed. I imagine peeta made a deal with them while also distracting them from killing Katniss.
The book implied they gave her the high score in order for people to go after her since she scared the judges. In the movie, they do it because she's just that talented.
This wasn't explained in the book either unless it was in recap towards the end. Like in Survivor though, alliances are common in Hunger Games until you're not needed. I imagine peeta made a deal with them while also distracting them from killing Katniss.The book implied they gave her the high score in order for people to go after her since she scared the judges. In the movie, they do it because she's just that talented.
Probably wanted a ranged weapon, and few were available. Though in the book, it's clear that Katniss is *way* higher up in the tree than it appeared in the movie.
Yeah this was annoying. It almost looked like she was within arm's reach. In the book its made clear that she uses her experience as a Hunter to climb way out of reach of their weapons.
Also the weapons they picked had nothing to do with what they wanted. Its a calculated risk. All the Careers (contestants from Districts that actually train and take pride in this contest...mainly Districts 1 & 2) take that that risk because they are usually the biggest and strongest. Some district contestants probably don't care and commit suicide on purpose by going towards the supplies.
Katniss's primary objective is to get back to her sister. Otherwise, at least in the book, its made clear she doesn't care about herself, her mother, Peeta, or even Gale to the point where she would fight everyone off. It was all for Prim.
I don't even remember them mentioning the 13th tribe in the movie.
Opening could have been done better with some sort of montage about what happened to District 13. But yeah in the book its made clear that as punishment for starting the revolt, they were nuked. The rest of the districts as punishment are forced to sacrifice their kids.
This was changed from the book. In the first book you hear nothing of a riot in District 11. That isn't till book 2. The salute in the book is just a compassionate symbol which she decides to use to send a message to whoever is watching. Even the burial she does is a message. And it is threatening to the Capitol because she instantly becomes a fan favorite from the moment she volunteers for her sister, when her on fire dress impresses, when Peeta announces his love for her, and how she gets the highest score in training. So she is the star of the show and all eyes are on her. Her sending messages to the people back home, standing up to the Capitol, and in the en proposing a double suicide pact is a threat to the control and fear the Capitol holds over the Districts. In the book its fleshed out and explained much better.
This was changed from the book. In the first book you hear nothing of a riot in District 11. That isn't till book 2. The salute in the book is just a compassionate symbol which she decides to use to send a message to whoever is watching. Even the burial she does is a message. And it is threatening to the Capitol because she instantly becomes a fan favorite from the moment she volunteers for her sister, when her on fire dress impresses, when Peeta announces his love for her, and how she gets the highest score in training. So she is the star of the show and all eyes are on her. Her sending messages to the people back home, standing up to the Capitol, and in the en proposing a double suicide pact is a threat to the control and fear the Capitol holds over the Districts. In the book its fleshed out and explained much better.
In the movie, Seneca explained to Snow that she earned it. In the book, they only had time to be scared by it, not one of the synopisis I looked up indicated what I thought. I guess I am that smart because that would have been a nice twist. The Careers would know that she would get stuff and so gun for her.
effzee said:
I don't even remember them mentioning the 13th tribe in the movie.
Opening could have been done better with some sort of montage about what happened to District 13. But yeah in the book its made clear that as punishment for starting the revolt, they were nuked. The rest of the districts as punishment are forced to sacrifice their kids.
In my opinion, I got more out of the movie in a third of the time. The book is terse and non descriptive. Just my opinion, though. Maybe I just didn't relate to the 'world as seen by Katniss'.
I read and very much enjoyed the first one. But I liked the movie more.
I'm finding the second one a bit tedious, though. THe focused internal monologue and Katniss' focus on herself made sense/was appropriate when she was in the arena and preparing. Against the political backdrop of book two, it seems narcissistic and indulgent. My wife tells me it gets better.
I read and very much enjoyed the first one. But I liked the movie more.
I'm finding the second one a bit tedious, though. THe focused internal monologue and Katniss' focus on herself made sense/was appropriate when she was in the arena and preparing. Against the political backdrop of book two, it seems narcissistic and indulgent. My wife tells me it gets better.
Keeping Katniss' people busy and exhausted working in dangerous mines all day keeps them less likely to rebel (too tired and hungry to organize, and all.) Automating that process would lead to a less worn-down population, and probably require finding new jobs just to keep everyone occupied. This would require educating the population more, and probably eventually encourage another revolution. Dumping a ton of money and tech into your annual "we own your asses" propaganda tool makes sense; dumping that same money and tech into making your serfs more able to rebel doesn't.
Eh, the world-building of D12 is one of THG's largest flaws. It's too small (apparently people have worked out that it's under 10k people), much too remote, operates on some unexplained currency system (I assumed the town ran under a "company store" structure but that opens up new questions), and produces a material that really shouldn't be too necessary (coal). It's also a crushing totalitarian system seemingly without the necessary surveillance society aspects, or some other form of deep control, needed to squash underground rebellions. Your assumptions as to what is necessary to keep D12 oppressed is wrong: at 10k people it's a lot cheaper and easier to keep them fat, dumb, and watched.
Which is fine as light entertainment but I see comments saying things along the lines of THG replacing 1984 in high schools and I cringe.
Also, for as much footage as they have of every person in the game, you'd think the Capitol could "Running Man" a fake, live ending.
Hell, I'm still waiting for The Lord of the Rings to become mandatory in all schools like people were claiming it'd be (and then for it to be replaced by A Song of Ice and Fire), haha.
I thought this is how the mutts was introduced but then you see two mutts literally come about from thin air and already programmed to chase them. One of the concerns I had about the mutts was that
the game obviously didn't want to kill everyone off; it's why they prevented the two from eating the berries at the end. They wanted at least one winner. Those mutts could've killed everyone off. What would've happened then?
the mutts kill everyone, or the last two kill each other, or if there's no victor for some other reason like that, it's probably a lot more okay than what Katniss was going to do. They just didn't want them both to commit suicide as a social statement when there's already growing unrest.
Watched it yesterday and have to say it was good, but having read the book beforehand I left somewhat unsatisfied. Lets get the positives out of the way, casting was for most part good; Jennifer Lawrence as Katness, Woody Harrelson as Haymitch, Donald Sutherland as Snow and surprisingly Lenny Kravitz as Cinna where all fantastic. Indifferent on the casting of Josh Hutcherson as Peeta, he wasnt bad but he wasnt good either. As a standalone movie, without looking too much into the fiction, it is well directed, written and produced. Yeah, that was pretty much the positives.
Then the bad. First, the shaky camera ruined basically every action heavy scene, It was so over the top shaky that at one point I wondered if even the filmmakers watched their own work. For the more slower emotional scenes the camera work is fine, I would even go as far as saying it was excellent. Which is even more baffling that the action scenes are done so poorly. Secondly, the cut out plot stuff really hinder the movie from making a point to some extent. There are some smart little changes, the Avox storyline is removed, Haymitch scenes are streamlined and the annoying team behind Cinna is cut.
The changed that are bad: the origin of the pin is changed, the sense of tension in the jungle, much of Rues back story, Peetas dad is never mentioned and for me the worst of it all: the handling of the mutts. There are some other stuff that isn't explained very well come of the things happening (the salute for one).
In the book the pin was given by the Major of District 12, it tells use the origin of the Mocking jay and why it is hated by the capitol. It is a very important aspect that comes back again and again, to my surprise the makers of the movie just let Katness find it at a market. That is rather poor way of handling an important crucial plot point.
Katness did have a hard time in the jungle in the book, at one point even lead to dehydration. That tension was gone, I think mostly for time concerns, but still felt like these kids where all way to healthy and fed. Just felt no tension. Peetas dad is also never mentioned, a small little thing, but felt like it need to be in the movie; it would have changed the dynamic in the relationship between Peeta and Katness in the movie. Then there are the mutts and this is where my nerd rage kind of went overdrive (lol); the mutts where the dead tributes in the books, but in the movie they dont mention it. IMO one of the better aspects of the books was unnecessarily cut.
Nerd rage aside, plot changes and camera work are the only thing that annoyed me. It was still a very good movie on its own merits though.
In the books its more than that. Its a sign of respect.
I just re read the trilogy after seeing the movie. Just finished the last one tonight. The second movie should be good aside from the really internal first third. It will probably have to pull a bit of Mockingjay into though for the end.
The third book seems like a mountain of a script to write. The huge conflicts katniss has are in her head/emotions, and the weakest part of this film was the romance, because you couldnt hear her thoughts so they gave us brow beating smash cuts to Gale. But whatever, thats years away.
I just re read the trilogy after seeing the movie. Just finished the last one tonight. The second movie should be good aside from the really internal first third. It will probably have to pull a bit of Mockingjay into though for the end.
There is next to no chance movie two ends on a different line than book two. I just can't see them passing up (massive Catching Fire spoiler)
"There is no District 12" as a finale. Maybe they add in a visual of the smoking wreckage that used to be her home, but introducing D13 won't happen until the third movie. Especially if they split Mockingjay.
. There won't be any fear of not continuing the series after the second film, so no reason not to stick to the established cliffhanger.
It's like, I don't know, the Olympics. If someone won, then they stood up on the pedestal with their gold medal, and they threw it on the ground, spit on it, and walked away. That would be a pretty fucking huge statement.
There is next to no chance movie two ends on a different line than book two. I just can't see them passing up (massive Catching Fire spoiler)
"There is no District 12" as a finale. Maybe they add in a visual of the smoking wreckage that used to be her home, but introducing D13 won't happen until the third movie. Especially if they split Mockingjay.
. There won't be any fear of not continuing the series after the second film, so no reason not to stick to the established cliffhanger.
Shit, i forgot they are planning on having 4 movies. Ugh. Mockingbird is already depressing, two books of that is not a smart move. But, your right, they will probably end on that line, but in my head, I saw them ending with her
in 13 asked to become the mockingjay. The war has started and it needs a face, etc..
Entertaining movie. Didn't read the book, so I have little to go off for the future but I have to imagine it is something like this:
they call winners back in the next Hunger Games to get their sense of control back & hope Kat/Pet die this time around. I say this because if I were the president of the country this is what I'd do.
If you have read the books, am I on the right path with the idea?
Saw this movie with the wife on opening day. It was ok. Only .... SO MANY UNCOMFORTABLE CLOSE UPS. I don't know if thats been mentioned in this thread, had to get that out there. Also ... SO MANY CAMERA EDITS!! SO friggin annoying. Last movie to do so many camera edits was Dark City ... it really ruins decent movies.
Entertaining movie. Didn't read the book, so I have little to go off for the future but I have to imagine it is something like this:
they call winners back in the next Hunger Games to get their sense of control back & hope Kat/Pet die this time around. I say this because if I were the president of the country this is what I'd do.
If you have read the books, am I on the right path with the idea?
the mutts kill everyone, or the last two kill each other, or if there's no victor for some other reason like that, it's probably a lot more okay than what Katniss was going to do. They just didn't want them both to commit suicide as a social statement when there's already growing unrest.
I don't think the mutts were there primarily to kill them, but to herd them to the Cornucopia (Why they were in the dark, I don't know). Thresh was an afterthought because he stayed in hiding the whole time (In the book Cato kills him and I wish they had went that route in the movie).
To me, Cato hinted that the intent was for Katniss to kill him or for them to fight. The Mutts were used to move Kat to put him out of his misery.
I'm pretty sure they controlled whether the Mutts kill someone so it was never really an issue. Snow would have preferred they die because it was so evident that they beat the system.
Thresh is supposedly killed by Cato in his own turf a couple of days after he runs from the Feast with Cato's bag in hands. We don't get to know what actually happens, but it's safe to assume it was quite the epic battle.
It was the change Ross did that bothered me the most.
Really liked it. 3.5/4 from me. Loved the gritty vibe and the beauty of some of the cinematography, despite the shakey shake. Also felt fairly well structured. Jennifer Lawrence is incredibly talented and her performance here is really going to throw her into stardom.
Flaws:
-Lead guy sucked. Hemsworth and him should have switched roles..although this is coming from someone who hasn't read the books.
-The District 11 Rebellion and final confrontation on that silver structure thing fell flat. Sad, because both moments could have driven the social commentary elements home..I dug all the subtext. I hear rebellions feature heavily in the sequels? That sounds like an intriguing way for the story to go.
-The douchebag villain kid was a poor actor.
Other than those two things, I anticipate the sequels!
Saw this with the gf tonight, I didn't know much about it besides the loose idea of the man hunting games aspect, and that it was getting good reviews, but I thought it was fantastic. Great music, Jennifer Lawrence is perfect, and it was long but didn't feel like it. Very tense, I enjoyed pretty much every aspect of it.
Okay, I'm confused by the history between Katniss and Peeta.
I read up on it online and it said that she felt awkward about her owing a lot to Peeta but in the movie she seems really mad at him initially. Did I miss something or what?
I thought the movie of THG was much better than the book, if only because I find Katniss' internal monologue to be really, really annoying. There's also far too much intrigue going on so that by limiting the narrative to Katniss' experience forces the reader/viewer to miss out on a lot of shit that goes on without her involvement. ESPECIALLY in the sequels, where Haymitch will just sum up entire weeks of events in a paragraph or two.
Just got home from seeing it tonight and I loved it. Good movie that can stand alone, and while the adoption wasn't perfect it was good enough.
Watched specifically for some of the things that bugged others and didn't really get it. You either understand that the Capitol has the technology to build the games arena and control major aspects about it or you don't (speaking about the fire and the mutts). I mean they had invisible flying cameras all over the place but that didn't seem to bother many people.
I'd kill for an extended unrated cut when this hits Blu Ray.
Okay, I'm confused by the history between Katniss and Peeta.
I read up on it online and it said that she felt awkward about her owing a lot to Peeta but in the movie she seems really mad at him initially. Did I miss something or what?
She is always thrown off by Peeta's actions. From the time he tossed her bread, she doesn't quite get him and he comes off as passive aggressive throughout the book.
She stays out of the loop as to the reasons why
.
The bread scene is kind of important in the book and I think that the movie both highlighted a lot while not giving it a lot of credit toward Katniss' view of him.
In the book, they are younger in that bread scene so she doesn't remember it as vividly and doesn't quite get the kindness displayed and the action is less clear.
Of course, she also doesn't get that Peeta really loves her nor does she understand anything about her own feelings since it was never her intention to fall for anyone.
