The Hunger Games Movie Review

The Hunger Games Movie vs. Book

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    In my opinion the Hunger Games book was ten times better than the movie. If you had not read the book then the movie would seem "good", although if you had read the books, obviously the two didn't follow. Compared to the book, the movie was a huge disappointment. From leaving out little details to excluding characters, scenes and dialog, it'll  make you cringe. Personally I expected more out of the movie and looked forward to seeing some parts that were left out.

   From the beginning I felt that the Hunger Games movie was rushed and didn't give you the chance to think about it. In the book it describes District 12 filled with coal miners, black cinder streets and squat gray houses. (page 4) In the movie it seemed more like District 12 was were homeless people would go. As well as how the movie began. In the beginning of the movie they jumped to an interview between one one the game makers, while the book begins with Katniss walking up describing how Prim's cat is the world's ugliest cat. From leaving out the scene were "Haymitch ... appears hollering something unintelligible, staggers onto the stage and falls into the third chair." (page 19) to where Prim's name was called from the reaping, leaving Haymitch out when he said,"Look at her. Look at thus one..."(page 24)

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    In the book they waited until the middle of the movie to mention the flashback when Peeta gave Katniss some burnt bread. On page 30 it was mention right after Peeta's name was drawn for the reaping. Originally Madge visited Katniss and gave her a mocking jay pin.(page 38) Although, in the movie Katniss got it in the Hob, gave it to Prim for luck, in return after Katniss volunteered, Prim gave it back to her. Then again during the last visit before Katniss went to the Capital Gale visited her. "I won't! You know I won't! Katniss remember I --" Gale says, and they yank us apart and slam the door and I'll never know what it was he wanted me to remember.(page 40) But again in the movie they left that part out.

 In chapters 9-10 was when the 24 tributes had their own interview with Caesar. The book made it seem like all 24 tributes were on the stage but when it was their turn they would go up to the chair next to Caesar. When Peeta admitted he had a crush on Katniss the book described, I allow my eyes to flicker up to the screen long enough to see that the blush on my cheeks is unmistakable...I have to raise my head out of the require respect and cannot avoid seeing that every screen is now dominated by a shot of Peeta and me.. However in the movie Katniss was back stage and you didn't get to see that. Just simply things such as when Katniss and Peeta are in the elevator alone and she pushed Peeta into an urn with flowers that cut his hands, while in the movie she still shoved Peeta but it was in hall with Haymitch, Effie and Cinna really leave out expected scenes. After the Hunger Games began Katniss ran to an orange backpack. At that point a boy was there and coughed blood up on her. The movie just showed Katniss running into the boy but nothing about coughing up blood.

As well as some of the characters behaviors. Haymitch appears as if he would always be holding some kind of alcohol and calling Katniss 'Sweetheart' all the time after reading the book but it was almost the opposite in the movie. The way the book described him as being grumpy, mean spirited and rude, when the movie made him seem just unhappy at the beginning but then pretty much no strong emotions for the rest of the movie. Just like Cinna. Katniss expressed the she felt normal being with Cinna because of the way he didn't have as odd of outfits like the rest of the Capital  and became her friend. Where Cinna gave her the pin back saying she left it on the train and events like the closeness between the two of them.

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Throughout the whole movie huge parts were left out. The Avox girl was never mention, the scene with Rue was rushed to quickly, where Thresh smashed Clove with the stone, the closeness between Katniss and Peeta and the way the movie was ended. In several occasions the book interjected this Avox girl, that Katniss once before had seen her while she was hunting in the woods with Gale. From when she had first got to the Capital to when she got back she saw the Avox girl. Ever since Katniss and Rue made an alliance they shared supply such as burn treatment, leaves to heal stings, sleeping bag and food, the book really implement this, were as the movie rushed through it. One second Rue and Katniss are meeting each other the next Rue dies. The book had multiple scenes with the two of them while the movie showed them meeting and destroying the food source of the careers and then when Rue died. I think it would had been better if more time was spent on showing how the two of them became close. In chapter 21 Katniss went back to the cornucopia to get medicine for Peeta's leg when Clove knocked her down. ...some great force yanks Clove from my body and then she's screaming...Clove is dangling a foot off the ground imprisoned in Thresh's arms...Thresh brings the rock down hard against Clove's temple. None of that was seen in the movie. To the part where Katniss and Peeta followed up on their reputation that they were the 'Star Crossed Lovers from District 12'. Suzanne Collins wrote it as the two of them became very close, especially in the cave. After the two of them could both win the games and made an alliance they were always kissing each other and such. Although in the movie maybe once they did but otherwise they just seemed like they were good friends. Once the two of them won the games they had the interview with Caesar again but they did it together. In the book Caesar says,"Oh, go ahead and curl up next to him if you want. It looked very sweet." It insisted that the two of them did really love each other but the movie overlooked it and barely had anything   about it. As the book was about to end and they were on their way home they got off the train and took a quick walk. That's when Peeta realized Katniss didn't truly love him and it was just a strategy set up with Haymitch and her. The movie never mentioned such.  

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Honestly I enjoyed the Hunger Games book over the movie. The movie left out what I think were some of the most important parts. Although I know if they added every little detail it would be a four hour movie, I still would had appreciated if they slowed it down instead of rushing through the movie. What I think the best thing about the book was being able to understand Katniss thoughts and how she felt, in the movie there was nothing about that. I know it's hard  to make a good movie adding in everyone's thoughts, that it is a lot easier to do in a book, but I think it would have enhanced the overall movie. Still the movie was fun to see how they would do certain parts such as when Peeta and Katniss were going to be on fire. The movie was a disappointment but hopefully if they make a movie about Catching Fire it will be similar to the book.