Good movie even if you haven't read the book

Rating: 7/10 (29 March 2012)

Jennifer Lawrence is wonderfully attractive throughout, whether she is hunting, running, fighting, in a red dress or in competition clothes. Her husky but feminine voice is enthralling. She carries the movie. Even though she's not a classic beauty she has a certain look that attracts the eye. But there is plenty other talent to entertain as well. Not having read the book I was surprised at who wasn't chosen to go to the competition from her village. But as the story unfolds its understood that it's being set up for a sequel. The sets and the futuristic setting is a nice add to an old story line. Some reviews have said that the story doesn't pay homage to the village starvation that the book spoke to. I think it's pretty evident but it's not dwelling piece in the story. I got the point well enough and don't think it was necessary to emphasize it more. There could have been more character interaction during the training period to set up the bad relations between contestants during the contest. The time does fly and I would have never guessed it was over two hours long although I did have to bow to the Big Gulp in the later half of the movie. Dehydrate before you go.