The Hunger Games

The plot roller coaster, which greatly enhances the desire to read a book, but also works as a surprising teenage hit until the very last minute. The characters are precise, the actors amazing, the relationships believable, and despite several seemingly exaggerated scenes towards the end, it's actually hard for me to find any specific criticism. Perhaps if the second part goes deeper into the interaction between the main characters, I will be fully thrilled. Those who mock the partial resemblance to Orwell or Truman Show have not understood that there is a slightly different metaphor here. Katniss Everdeen for the win. P.S.: I became friends with the book practically instantly, and after reading the entire saga, I would give Suzanne Collins almost anything. Just for the record. (04/08/2012)

The idea for the book just spontaneously came to the author’s mind and most certainly wasn’t inspired by the Japanese Batoru rowaiaru (2000). Well, let's just say I’m not buying it. I'm going to rudely assume it was a standard American rip-off, just with added bombast, a play on emotions, and a moronic plot. Even if the Americans had set fire to all twenty-four athletes, they couldn't have put together a pair of characters that would entertain me as much as the Japanese duo, Pot lid and Binoculars. Those of you who know something about me must have known that I wasn’t going to be happy with the casting of the lead. Jennifer Lawrence does have something going for her; after all, she is one of the world's top actresses regarding "leaked" photos and videos. There’s no denying that. I just think she should take up poker instead of acting. Her constant unreadable expression can compete even with the likes of Ben Affleck or Mickey Rourke. However, the latter helped himself to it surgically, which disqualifies him in my eyes. The film didn’t start off looking entirely bad, but as time went on, my hopes started to fade, only to vanish completely. The film was made to look like it was about the right values, but actually, it just wasted over two hours on yet another story about a love triangle that teens and American housewives just can’t get enough of. / Lesson learned: Never eat alone and don’t be the first one to eat in a group. (09/08/2022)

It regrettably misses the mark as a social parable and a critique of a reality show (the classic misguided product syndrome: I criticize myself and I’m not aware of it), as a sci-fi hopelessly non-original, toothless as an action film, pubertal dull as a drama... the argument that it is the absolute opposite of Twilight does not stand up - simply because the heroine is "tough and unyielding", that director Ross and especially cinematographer Stern are at a higher level (the raw filming raises it above average), and that the story has a certain deeper subtext - is not enough. The Hunger Games is similarly poser-like dull and harmlessly consumable. I would like to write that this is The Truman Show for teenagers, but the truth is that this is all to which Weir's film is critically defined. If only it worked as "simple entertainment". But it doesn't. Without knowledge of the book, it is confused, unfinished and overwhelmed with obligatory clichés and affected by a very tied up imagination. (03/21/2012)

I didn't expect anything at all, and yet the film surprised me quite a bit. Anyone who starts talking about artificial romance completely missed the point and reading their reviews is a waste of time because they won't be objective. Hunger Games is a game, or rather a romance only on the surface, just like society today (or most of it), which this film criticises in a rather sophisticated way. It starts with the same system as the Hunger Games (a tribute to wars), through pathetic wishes for happiness, appalling (intentionally, for God's sake!) costumes, so criticising the film for that is probably the same as being upset that you're not hungry anymore after eating. As far as philosophy is concerned, I don't really have anything to criticise. Technically, the film is quite decent (the visuals of the city, the sets, etc.). The only slight issue arises during the actual game. Some things seemed a bit half-hearted and sometimes the viewer gets lost in what is meant to be taken seriously and what is just a wink. I won't dwell on the handheld camera, nor the quite inconsistent action scenes (sometimes naturalistic, other times "veiled"). Gary Ross seems be a much more captivating storyteller and philosopher than a technician and director of action scenes. I mustn't forget Jennifer Lawrence, who shines as the modern-day heroine and will one day replace Kate Beckinsale, Milla Jovovich, and other tough chicks, and she to be a much better actress too. Hunger Games is definitely not for classics and narrow minds. I don't quite understand the huge profits because I expected most people would not appreciate the content (which I assume has happened), but apparently, that doesn't prevent it from being a film experience, although perhaps a slightly different one. (04/02/2012)

The only thing worth anything in this film, its theme, has already been filmed in an original, energetic way as a provocative satire in Battle Royale. The American version, striving to be a serious and riveting thriller with a romantic storyline, is indigestibly lengthy, clichéd and uses makeup and costumes like from "2001: A Space Travesty 2" with Adam Sandler. I’m giving it the second star for the pleasantly sober acting of the two main characters, who are the only elements of the film that don’t seem like a bad joke. (03/23/2012)