Personal Opinion

Rating: 4/10 (29 May 2014)

Let it be known that I have read the Hunger Games Trilogy and I loved every word written by Suzanne Collins. But I absolutely HATED the movie.
Sure, to a certain degree it followed the overall plot Suzanne had scaled out through out the books, but it fell short in so many different ways that, even if I had already read the books previously, left me craving for more- More information, more action and more character development.
Firstly, Garry failed to include important characters that were very important to the book. Like Madge, Katniss's friend who had, in the book, originally given her the Mockingjay pin (not Greasy Sae, the Hob's most popular cook) during her visiting hours before she was shipped to the Capital. He also forgot to include Flavius, Octavia and Venia who become a very important part in the third book (which I will not get into...).
Secondly, the movie failed to showcase the relationship and its development between Katniss and Haymitch, Peeta and Cinna. In the book, Katniss and Haymitch originally do not get along by any means but as the book continues you begin to see just how similar the two are to each other which ultimately helps Katniss connect with Haymitch during the games despite there being a lack of contact (hence why she understood the messages he'd send to her via gifts). Between Katniss and Cinna, their relationship was always successful, they clicked the moment they met, mostly because Cinna proved to be different than all the other Capital citizens because of his simplicity (which could be seen by his wardrobe). Ultimately, Cinna and Katniss become very close to each other. And then there was the relationship between Katniss and Peeta... Gosh, you have no idea how angry I was of seeing how little they showed of them. At first, Katniss is very awkward towards Peeta because she knows for a fact that there was a chance that she'd be forced to kill this boy, the boy that years ago saved her life without asking for anything in return. But as they begin spending time together in the training center, encouraging one another to show their true strengths and weaknesses they begin to develop a friendship which is later destroyed when Peeta requests to be trained separately from Katniss when she deems herself too powerful. But as they go into the arena and Peeta does the things he does, Katniss begins to see that Peeta has always been a friend, not a foe. So, when it's time for them to partner up, Katniss begins to treat him better, as a true friend and risks her life for him, like a true friend would do. But as they begin to spend more time together, Peeta's hidden feelings for her develop. But as a way to survive (adviced by Haymitch through one of the gifts) Katniss begins to think that Peeta is only acting and that his affection for her is false and so begins to play along, unknowingly giving Peeta false hopes of a relationship that could probably never exist. So when it's time to go home, after Peeta discovers that it was all an act, it becomes awkward once again because the feelings are no longer mutual, only one sided.
Thirdly, the total lack of character development from Peeta. Throughout the movie, the only thing Peeta symbolizes is a middle class citizen that only knows how to whine and stand there to look pretty. In comparison to the book character, Josh Hutcherson playing as Peeta and the original Peeta Mellark become two completely different people. They down play Peeta's character so much that he ultimately becomes irrelevant, when in fact HE CLEARLY ISN'T! They make him into this weak little boy that knows nothing of the outside world but to look pretty in it. When really Peeta Mellark was a strong boy with a very outgoing personality that captures the audience completely, and a boy capable of maintaining a life and the life of the one he loved. In the movie they make Katniss as Peeta's meaning of life, when really, Peeta ultimately becomes Katniss's.
Lastly, it was how they cut off so much action from the movie that it lessened the impact of the plot. For example, during the last fighting scene, when Katniss and Peeta are being chased down by the Capital Mutts and they reach the cornucopia and climb it to stay away from them, the director cut off a very important scene that affects the ending of the story entirely. Peeta, in the scene where the same leg that had been cut by Cato during their fight after the Gabbey's' attack was bitten by one of the mutts that ultimately causes Peeta to receive a prosthetic leg. This scene was ultimately essential given that it showcases the Captial's power and advanced technology, which ultimately affects the story later on in the books. Another scene that was completely cut off from the movie that was originally in the book was the scene after Peeta and Katniss win the Games and they are taken back into the hovercraft and Katniss completely breaks down when Peeta is taken into custody to repair his leg and save him from the immense loss of blood he suffered. This scene was essential given the fact that in this scene Suzanne Collins was able to completely explain the after effect of the games.
Ultimately, I believe that the movie was basically a cheap trailer that showcases enough of the book to interest the viewer to read the books. Sure the action was minimized to keep the movie PG-13 but you can only eliminate so much blood and gore before you ultimately suck the seriousness out of the situation and turn it into a stupid game.
I really think they could've done better without completely copyrighting the entire book, in my opinion.