The Best Of Its Kind

Rating: 9/10 (19 June 2020)

After recently finishing the Hunger Games book for the first time, I was very excited to dive into the movie. I had heard mostly good things and was ready to experience it as it had been described. And woah...
I'd never seen a movie like this one before. From the moment the opening titles passed, I could feel my heart rate climbing. Very similar to the book, there is, to quote Stephen King, nearly constant-suspense and a looming sense of dread in every second of every scene. This was one of the few movies that genuinely kept me right on the edge of my seat at all times. There were some changes made to the story when adapting a screenplay, as is par for the course with any screen-adaptation of a book, but they all worked for the overall benefit of the narrative. The casting was next to perfect. After watching the movie, I can only see Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne, and so on. The combined efforts of facial expressions, body language, and an uncomfortably quiet setting made for a very fast-paced, very entertaining, very frightening, very real feeling plot. The score is iconic where it has to be, anxiety inducing where it has to be, and triumphant where is appropriate. Cinematography wise, this was a knockout. The rapid camera movement and flashes of blood brought the games to another level of scary. The directing was excellent. The editing was excellent. Costumes and makeup were done so unbelievably well. The acting was top-notch.
I was hooked the whole way through, and finishing it felt very rewarding. It's not exactly the same as the book, but it doesn't have to be. If you liked the book, the movie certainly will not disappoint.