A rare case in which I enjoyed the movie more than the book. I wasn't entirely comfortable with the premise of the book, but it does seem to work better as a movie. I don't know, maybe I hold books to a higher standard than movies.I might even have given this movie 4 stars if they hadn't left out my absolute favorite scene from the book - District 11's gesture towards Katniss, and Katniss's response.
I actually really enjoyed the way the Capitol was over-stylized, and I liked the Gamemasters' control room (which was not at all in the book). I thought the movie improved on the book in a number of ways, including the way the mockingjay pin was incorporated into the story (its significance was questionable in the book), the introduction of the primary Gamemaster character, and the toning down of the book's crazy sci-fi wolves. Also, Katniss and Peeta's relationship just unfolded much more naturally and less frustratingly in the movie than it did in the book. I liked the casting. I didn't like the frequent use of the shaky camera trick.
Oh! Gwen was also disappointed that they left out District 11's gesture towards Katniss! Hmm? I don't think I was crazy about the casting as you were. I was expecting the actress to play Effie Trinket to be older, I pictured someone like Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter and even though I did like Woody Harrelson as Haymitch I thought he could have been more intense. I pictured someone like Mad-Eye Moody from Harry Potter. :P Peeta I pictured entirely different too! I did like the actress casted for Katniss though! And though I did like that they added the Gamemaster's control room I thought they spent too much time on it! I enjoyed the book more!
ReplyDeleteThat's funny that you pictured characters like they were from Harry Potter. I'm so surprised that you imagined Effie to be like Dolores Umbridge! I was totally picturing Nicole Kidman for Effie!! Ha! What a difference in our perceptions. I liked Woody Harrelson but I agree, he could have been more intense. Like I think Haymitch's character had the potential to steal the scenes he was in, but he didn't. Peeta was perfect, for me! Before seeing the movie, I was afraid he wouldn't be endearing enough, but at the very end, I sure was torn between Gale and Peeta, too. :P And yes, I did like Katniss! I kept thinking she looked like she had some kind of non-Caucasian ethnicity in her, but I didn't see anything along those lines when I googled her.
ReplyDeleteOh, there was one character who was very different from how I had pictured him - Cinna! Lenny Kravitz grew on me, but I had imagined a smaller, light-haired Caucasian with a slight frame.
ReplyDelete