Well-Done

Rating: 7/10 (26 March 2012)

When I went to see this movie, I was only halfway through the book after only starting it the day before. The book was so good (of what I had read of it at the time) that I was impatient to see the movie, especially with all of the notice it was getting.
Getting ready to see this movie, I had taken a couple of things into consideration: it was an action and partial teen-romance book. One big thing I notice in movies, while I'm watching them, is the music. This movie being the two genres I mentioned, I expected the music to either be epic (like Pirates of the Caribbean, LOTR, etc.) or very teen- oriented (band-based songs). It was, mostly, neither. The musical score let me down, and the main song that I had fallen in love with ("Safe and Sound") wasn't actually in the movie.
However, many other things were done right. The graphics and camera shots were AMAZING. In one scene, the contestants are let loose into the arena, and the film goes relatively silent. This in itself portrays how easily your ears can fuzz-out when you are experiencing an adrenaline rush. I applaud the use of that tactic in this movie.
Also, when I saw Katniss's dress as compared to how the book described it, I was briefly disappointed. The book mentioned that it was supposed to look fiery, and as the scene continued, I saw nothing. Then, she stood up and twirled around--and the hem of her dress burst to flames! I was amazed. And one of the most beautiful shots was when they were in the chariot with their capes ignited. Many scenes/shots in this movie are gorgeous and worthy of being stills.
Honestly, when I imagined all of the violence that took place in the book, I was afraid of how thoroughly depressing it would be to see children killing each other in a battle to survive. Though it was sad, the movie was filmed to shield eyes from the worst of what happened, which I am grateful for.
Overall, since this review has gone on for far too long, I give this movie an 7. Watching this movie without reading the books is hard, but well-done to be sure.