The Weakest of the Hunger Games Franchise.

Rating: 7/10 (16 August 2016)

I know everyone says this but I have to say I am one of the Hunger Games' biggest fans. I've read the books and seen the movies. I know what I am speaking (or writing) about.
I was excited to see the first movie when it came out in 2012. At this time I had not read the books yet, but I did know a bit about it. Because I hadn't read the books my first reaction was that I liked it, but I didn't LOVE it. I went away and read the books right before Catching Fire was released in theaters. And this is what I found when comparing the two.
The movie wasn't completely off from the first HG book, but it deviated tremendously in some areas. Now I know what you are thinking. "Oh no, let's get out of here now before this book fanatic blasts the movie just because it wasn't like the book." That's not what I am doing at all. I'm going to compare the book and the movie and then highlight the good and the bad from the movie. So sit tight and stay with me.
The movie disregarded semi-important characters from the book that didn't add to the movie (in their opinion). It also changed much of the scenes and dialog except for important key lines such as 'Happy Hunger games and may the odds be Ever in your favor.' and 'Ladies First'. The three most notable things though have to be the way Katniss got the Mockingjay pin, the werewolves, and Prim's cat: Buttercup.
Now onto what I liked about the movie.
Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen was the most impeccable choice. She does the part so well that I can't ever see anyone other than her playing Katniss. I also thought Liam Hemsworth (Gale Hawthorne), Elizabeth Banks (Effie Trinket), Woody Harrelson (Haymitch Abernathy) and Stanley Tucci (Caesar Flickerman) were great casting choices. Donald Sutherland as President Snow was also an excellent choice, giving me the creeps every time I saw him. He just looked EVIL. The capitol was just as I had envisioned, the scenery was great, and the lines were good. The action was good (because it followed the book). All in all was a very good, captivating, and gripping movie.
Things I think needed work:
1: How Katniss got the Mockingjay pin. I won't go into how she got it in the books (which was perfection) but I do want to point out that in the movie it was a very nonchalant, boring way of introducing the pin that symbolized the start of a rebellion. If you had to deviated from the book you should have given it a better entrance into the movie? Maybe Katniss' mother gave it to her for strength? I don't know because it would never be as good as what Collins wrote.
2: Casting choice for Peeta Mellark. I know all of you fan girls are ready to throw me into the next Hunger games for saying such a thing but it's true! Josh Hutcherson is a good actor, don't get me wrong! He just didn't feel like Peeta to me. Him and Jennifer Lawrence didn't have much chemistry on screen in my opinion. He wasn't the strong, caring, protective Peeta that I knew from the books. They made Peeta seem a bit weak and a sort of damsel in distress in my view. If you don't agree with me that's fine. I just wanted to point out that he seems wimpy and small.
3: The werewolves. Oh my. Here I go. WHY!!!!!!!! Why would you change Suzanne Collin's werewolves. They were half werewolf, half dead tributes, that ran on their hind legs and had huge claws, teeth and big scary eyes. Here in the movie they looked like overfed pit bulls. Even their barking wasn't scary. This scene was supposed to send foreboding shivers down my spine. Instead I sat there in numb boredom, waiting for the games' 'big finish' to end so I could go onto the next movie. What a lame climax. That's all I have to say on that matter.
Anyways those are the three biggest things I thought needed immense work. I hope you like this movie! If you are not sure about how you feel after watching this PLEASE watch Catching Fire. I promise it's a much better movie and you will like it. Also, PLEASE GO READ THE BOOKS! Have a nice rest of your day, AND MAY THE ODDS BE EVER IN YOUR FAVOR.