The games will change everyone

Rating: 6/10 (18 April 2012)

While I must confess I was never that big a fan of the novels that this film was based off of, I felt that this movie actually did a decent job incorporating a unique style of its own while staying true to the source material. The first half of the film was awesome, the gloomy atmosphere of District 12 was perfectly portrayed through establishing shots of the life around the district, as well as the set in which actual concrete elements used to flesh out the setting- made the realism of the film all the more stronger. There are, unfortunately, moments when CGI rears its ugly head to create futuristic landscapes that look artificial and lifeless, and it contrasts senselessly with the scenic nature of District 12. With that said, I do think that Ross tried his hardest not to incorporate CGI as much as possible, which I commend him for, by all means. As far as the plot is concerned, it's a bit hit-and-miss. Yes, we're all aware of the similarities between this and Fukasaku's Battle Royale, but the acting in this film felt a little wooden. The characters didn't show the slightest bit of sympathy or remorse when they murdered one of the contenders in the game, and the script was riddled with the kind of clichés one would find in a young adult novel(Yes, it's based on a young adult novel, but I digress). Furthermore, a lot of elements were left unexplained and felt quite ridiculous. But, then again, if you think about the synopsis for the backstory... I guess you couldn't expect much else. There are some interesting camera angles used to enhance the intensity of the games, which work quite well, and the brutality may not be as bloody as Battle Royale, but the emotion of the first couple of deaths are just as exhausting. I do think that once the movie hits the actual 'games,' it starts to take a nose-dive. The plot succumbs to the generic clichés that you'd expect to find in a film such as this, and a lot of the elements used to enhance the way the 'games' are played are too vague in design that it breaks away from the reality of the plot. But for what it's worth, it's still a damn good movie. It has great action, decent acting, and while the entirety of the script may not be perfect, its still entertaining to watch. Definitely consider checking this one out.