Overlong, but an engaging and enjoyable start for the franchise

Rating: 7/10 (1 October 2013)

Like most adaptations from books. I've yet to read any, so this was the first time I was exposed to anything Hunger Games related. I actually dug this movie for the most part. It has stylish direction, as well as excellent acting, especially from Jennifer Lawrence. Her strong performance as Kitniss was a main reason as to why I enjoyed this movie so much. I must also commend the somewhat audacious subject matter. Other than Battle Royale, I can't think of any other films that have dared to have teens killing each other. The Hunger Games also has some solid character development. I dug the subtle relationship between Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson. It did a good job of making us care about them, and their fate. Credit must be given to the action scenes as well, which were quite enthralling at times. The Hunger Games has plenty of tension and suspense. I didn't expect much when going into this one, despite the rabid fan base. I ended up being very surprised by how much I liked it. It is flawed and a bit overlong, but overall I enjoyed it very much. I'm looking forward to Catching Fire
Rating: 7.5/10