Okay Adaptation of a Bad Children's Book

Rating: 4/10 (27 March 2012)

I am decidedly NOT a fan of the Hunger Games. People my age may remember the Hunger Game's plot from a 1987 movie called 'The Running Man,' starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Richard Dawson. I found myself squirming at the premise and really uncomfortable at the story. It is very transparent, I figured out virtually every important plot point very early in the movie. Plot devices like little parachutes delivering sponsored favors and controllers who can introduce forest fires and genetically-engineered Cujos into the arena do not make it more interesting, they make it even more ridiculous than it was to begin with. Katniss and Peeta are certainly "redeemed" characters and Peeta's desire to transcend the games certainly made it easy to figure out how the plot was going to wrap up. But even with these compelling heroes, the world is just as dark and hopeless at the end of the movie as it is at the beginning - in fact worse, because Katniss is pretending to be in love with Peeta. I know we are only a third way through the story, but still there should be triumph and hope. (Think about the end of Star Wars episode 4 or the Fellowship of the Rings - darkness still threatened in those stories, but hope was plentiful). So there is no redemption at the end of this very dark story. I have kept hearing about how it is "poignant social commentary on American life." The book may be, but the movie really misses the boat here too, making the movie even less relevant.
I thought the acting was good (Great to see Lenny Kravitz acting again. Loved him in 'Precious'). The cinematography, art direction, and and costumes were great. Since I have not read the books, I cannot comment on the adaptation. I saw the film with my friend Jennifer Serling, who had read the books and thought the adaptation was more than adequate. There are some cute little plot points that I thought were okay - e.g. the "fire costumes" and "mocking jay" calls.) I found the movie visually stunning. the costuming in the capital was interesting but derivative (did you see a little film from 1939 called 'the Wizard of Oz'?)
On the whole I think that the movie is a just okay adaptation of a children's story that is far too violent for children in both premise and story-telling. I won't be bothering to read the books and I could probably tell you the plot of the second book without much trying or thought...I was prepared to like it. I was hoping this second movie in one day would redeem another bad movie experience from earlier in the day (October Baby). Not so much. 4/10.