First movie I've ever walked out of before it ended

Rating: 3/10 (23 April 2012)

I haven't read the books - but I will now.
This film presents the viewer with a dystopian post-apocalyptic North America where 12 impoverished and technologically backwards "districts" (i.e. states) are politically and economically enslaved by a dictatorial "Capitol". Every year, two teen children are selected from each district in a process called "The Reaping" to compete in a battle to the death called "The Hunger Games". Only one child will survive this competition. The rest will all experience violent death. The entire competition takes place in a virtual reality "arena", and the proceedings are televised to viewers around Panem who devour the show much like most Americans devour "American Idol" or "Dancing With The Stars".
Many of the scenes are shot without a tripod or similar camera stabilizing device, creating a jerky effect and making it hard to make out details in scenes. Most scenes are also "over-exposed" (lighting too bright). While I'll guess the director/cinematographer wanted to convey moods and emotions with these styles, they only served to annoy and frustrate me.
I presume the movie portrays this evil society where 23 children are sacrificed to maintain the political, economic and social hegemony over the people as a warning to viewers to avoid creating such a society, and perhaps as commentary that some elements of our popular culture and mass media have strayed too close to what is portrayed in Panem.
I was unable to draw a distinction between the crass residents of Panem who tune in to be entertained by an ultra-violent bloodbath where children repeatedly - and violently - kill other children in The Hunger Games and the people sitting in the movie theater with me, who were being entertained by depictions of an ultra-violent bloodbath where children are repeatedly - and violently - killing other children who were playing a game called The Hunger Games.
I can't believe the movie is rated PG-13. I was shocked when I learned it isn't rated "R". The depictions of violence against and perpetrated by children is horrific and intense, and I'm a guy who loves The Sopranos/Dirty Harry/etc.
When Rue died, in what I found to be an overly melodramatic, drawn-out, and entirely unrealistic scene, I decided I had seen enough children killing children for the evening, and I walked out. I've never done that before. I told my wife I'd meet her in the bar across the street after the movie was over. She had devoured and loved the books, and was very excited to see the movie, so I presumed she'd stay until the end.
After walking out, I went to the restroom. Upon exiting the restroom, my wife was standing in the theater lobby, waiting for me. She had walked out right behind me, saying the graphic violence perpetrated by children against children was too much for her as well. She said in the book, you can easily forget the contestants are children. In the movie, you are always reminded the contestants are children. She also was completely disenchanted with how the movie had abbreviated the book's story line, left out what she felt were critical plot elements, and provided no context for many scenes.
I need to read the trilogy so I get context for the violence. Ideally, reading the story will help me supplant the horrific images I witnessed in the theater with less-traumatic scenes created within my imagination.
For those interested in post-apocalyptic dystopian trilogies, I highly recommend The White Mountains, The City of Gold and Lead, and The Pool of Fire. Another similar book is "Ecotopia" (a personal favorite). Let's hope I put The Hunger Games in the same category after having read the books!