Not having read the book I enjoyed it but far from great

Rating: 7/10 (2 April 2012)

Over a week after seeing the film, giving me time to decide whether as good as the hype made it out to be, I am now ready to give my opinion. First-off The Hunger Games is a good film, whereby the cast are great, there is a sense of atmosphere and delivers what it promises. However, is it as good as how everyone hoped it to be? Well what is but this film has many flaws.
While I can't blame a teen-oriented film for not showing the killing of multiple young people clearly, blood and everything, the director thought it would be better to zoom in hand-held camera with quick cuts so you never get a clear view to avoid offending its audience and receiving the 15/R rating. The overall effect is distracting and cheapens the film. If you intend to show something, then show it! The film's half-hearted attitude to the violence felt indecisive, not sure whether to stay true to the books or to make something family friendly.
This is a much talked about issue and there is more that could be said, however the film does have its moments. Half the running time is set before the game begins and creates a tense atmosphere as the games move closer and closer. As mentioned the cast are great and the film allows time to develop their characters. Some scenes, particularly flashbacks, did feel poorly handled though and if more time had been spent developing them, I believe it would have improved the film immensely.
As it stands, the film is good, however the direction is not all that strong. The climactic fight felt poorly handled, which is a shame since it also successfully developed the antagonist. Two CGI scenes were weak and did not add anything to film. While I did enjoy it, the film lacked a certain edge needed to keep me invested in what will happen next for the characters. Looking at the box office, hopefully the sequel will build on what this achieved and make up for its shortcomings.