Pleasantly surprised!

Rating: 9/10 (9 November 2014)

I'm not one to jump on the bandwagon, so when all the hype about the Hunger Games books and movies came about, I wasn't eager to delve into it. It took me 2 years since the release of the first movie to actually watch it - and I was pleasantly surprised. (Keep in mind, I haven't read the books, but I did have a general understanding of it.)
I can't comment on the accuracy of the movie-book adaptation, but as someone that hasn't read the books - yes there were a few question marks going through my mind at some points - but overall, I felt that the movie conveyed the subject matter effectively and was easy to understand. I got the general sense of the movie - and I knew there were questions to be answered, but I also knew that there would be sequels to the first that might answer my questions. The acting was superb, costume and makeup absolutely stunning (the portrayal of people in the Capitol had always intrigued me) - and I saw some comments about the shaky camera...I watched this on a small screen, so it didn't affect my viewing experience. I think it was appropriate for conveying a sense of urgency in this movie and showing Katniss' perspective while not detracting too much from the movie itself.
I found myself really wanting to read the books and reading up on the Hunger Games universe to know more about the world itself. If a movie- book adaptation can make me want to know more about the book, having not read it first-hand, I think it's a job well done.