A winner both as a movie and an adaptation

Rating: 9/10 (25 April 2012)

I was lucky enough to see The Hunger Games at a midnight screening amid the droves of buzzing and excited fans. I have to say, it definitely lives up to the hype. I walked out of the theatre feeling really happy with it. The movie is a faithful adaptation from the book and does an excellent job of introducing the audience (both fan and non-fan alike) to the world of Panem.
As readers of the series know, the books are told from Katniss' point-of-view. This is a great way to experience a book – we're inside our heroine's head and experiencing everything as she does. In a movie, however, we have to venture outside of her head. This allows us to see things that we wouldn't otherwise see. For example, the Hunger Games control room and the uprising in District 11. These scenes provided a background for the Games themselves as well as the ruthless, totalitarian nature of the society.
This is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I've ever seen. The story unfolds almost exactly as it does in the book, including every major scene. It also included a lot of the original dialogue, which was great. Whenever a movie is adapted from a book, there are going to be some differences due to timing and other factors. However, a good movie adaptation will capture the essence of the book, and I think this one does that well. Personally, the movie evoked in me the same feelings that I got when reading the book.
As a fan, it's wonderful to see really talented actors embody the characters we've come to know and love. The cast, both lead and supporting, is absolute perfection. Jennifer Lawrence, in particular, is phenomenal in the role of Katniss. Although slightly older than the character, she brings a level of maturity and a commanding presence that were necessary to play the part. She carries the whole movie and a couple of standout moments for me were the Reaping and also the launch into the arena.
I have to commend director Gary Ross and his team for bringing us a faithful and entertaining movie version of The Hunger Games. It's truly amazing to see this world as described in the books (from the dreary Seam in District 12 to the extravagant Capitol) come to stunning visual life. My only real complaint is that the release for Catching Fire is so far away!