A TOTALLY unexpected surprise of a movie - powerfully gripping!

Rating: 10/10 (20 March 2015)

The Hunger Games was NOT a movie I was interested in seeing, having somehow made the wrong assumption regarding what kind of movie I thought it was. I thought it was one of the current, endless dark, violent, plot-weak/less "shallow" movies that rates way up there for teens. Despite the number of people who rated it, and the near 5.0 star rating from so many, I was not going to watch it.
I changed my mind when my husband told me he believed "Katniss Everdeen" was, in real life, a professional archer (as is Geena Davis.) And am I ever glad I did watch it! I bought the movie, in fact, after seeing it for the first time 2 weeks ago or less, and since that first time, I have already watched it over 10 times.
It's hard to put a finger on "specifically" what made it such a pleasant surprise, but there's no doubt...physically, physiologically, mentally, emotionally...I was GRIPPED to the point I wouldn't even pause it for a 15 second bathroom break.
Using a list, here are the following elements that made me rate this a 5-star movie: 1. An original storyline and plot 2. Quality of the acting performances, by both leads, and supporting actress/tor 3. Jennifer's exceptional loveliness: she is beautiful inside and out. (read bio) 4. Excellent Directing; steadily growing from the start, never losing focus 5. Dynamite special effects without sensationalism. Used sparingly, but INTENSE! 6. The moral...very well defined without forcing the point: purity of goodness overcomes the adversity of the corrupted in power, who cause suffering. 7. Last, and yet the most influential - the power of being stunned by the unexpected, and original "points/actions", etc...that spring up here and there in the movie, causing the RARE (for me) "rabidly gripped attention." The closest example I can offer is the "husband-who-is-unapproachable-because-he's-on-the-edge-of-his-seat, body-leaning-far-forward, eyes-riveted-to-the-puck/football, head moving-without-control-as-eyes-follow-what-they're-glued-to" kind of gripping attention, see?
But that's MY opinion. *grins*