Amazing, Some differences from the book but as expected

Rating: 9/10 (24 March 2012)

I read the whole trilogy in the last month and then the first book again the week before seeing the movie for good measure. The movie was great, it stayed true to the story and themes. The removed a lot but that is expected. The changes they made were mostly to save time and skip the long sequences of how it happened in the book. All the things I was afraid they were going to alter were exactly how they happened in the book so I am satisfied. Since it is PG-13 I would agree that they did take down the level of violence and blood compared to the book. The additions to the story were great to see. You get a lot more background information of how the games are run, what Haymitch is doing during the games and even some foreshadowing of the events in the second book. I found it all very interesting, a straight replay of the book would have been less interesting.
My biggest gripe is that the ending felt a little rushed. Things are mostly the same, but the events occur 100 times faster in the movie.
I can't wait for the next movie and would see this one again.