Gripping and well paced

Rating: 8/10 (18 April 2012)

Let me begin my review by saying that I haven't read the books, and as such I had no preconceived notions going into the theatre. From reading some of the more negative reviews, I think this may have a lot to do with how I feel about this movie.
I found the world that this film constructed mesmerising. It immediately engaged me at both an intellectual and emotional level. Being a guy who normally has a lot of space between his thoughts and his emotions, this is a rare and welcome surprise in a movie. You immediately connect with the plight of the people in the District's and develop a curiosity as to how the city folk live. When their opulence, disconnection and disregard for other people becomes clear, your hatred for the system that Katniss, Peeta and the others have to live under becomes almost palpable. Heck, I was practically ready to cry out for and end to the inhumanity, inequality and injustice right there in the theatre and start a revolution! On several occasions I actually felt horror and upset when some of the younger characters are killed and hatred for the characters that would kill younger children with little regard. I don't think that you have to be an intellectual or political person to feel this way. I imagine the books are so popular because they tug at our own intrinsic sense of compassion and humanity and if this is the case, the movie does an amazing job of transferring that to the silver screen.
The script was somewhat minimalist and fast moving in my opinion. It feels like anything that didn't further the narrative was cut. Every scene contributed something and seemed to be another important development or milestone in the story.
As far as the casting is concerned - I can't really compare the actors chosen to the way that they were described in the book and as such I had no real expectations as to how the actors needed to look in order to fit the part. However, I will say that I was struck immediately by the depth of character that Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss Everdeen) managed to portray. I felt immediately that the character being portrayed was a rare kind of woman - a strong, determined and exceptionally intelligent leader. Lawrence's performance has an immediacy and a directness to it, verging on a minimalism which is strikingly effective and is the kind of performance that I feel is marginalised in today's world of over-acting and over-reacting in every scene.
The other main part, certainly in terms of screen time, is played by Josh Hutcherson (Peeta Mellark). Again I think this is a solid performance and I bought into the character portrayed, finding him convincing as a potential partner to Katniss as well as a key driving force in their survival. Some people seem to be complaining that he doesn't fit the big and strong description given (apparently) in the books. Personally, however, I actually find that couples that appear too picture perfect become less believable. If anything, the fact that he at times appears slightly smaller than Lawrence lends their relationship a kind of reality, in a story that is ultimately about depth of character, that I feel is far too often missing from Hollywood and its fake plastic world. Life is messy and very rarely picture perfect, and if a movie about the tragedies of death, the horrors of poverty, oppression, inhumanity and war can't reflect that then what can? By accident or design I think Hutcherson's casting is actually a good thing.
I don't have time (or available word limit remaining) to review all of the other factors that went into this movie in detail. Suffice it to say that I thought every actor on the screen was excellent and delivered believable performances with real depth of character. The effects were minimal but well used and the way that the world drew on both Ancient Roman/Gladiatorial and Nazi architecture and imagery to reinforce the dystopian nature of the society was a nice touch.
Overall: a fast paced film with great acting and an intrinsically moving and well represented story line. Go see it.