I saw the Hunger Games the day it debuted. I was very impressed despite a few flaws.
Hunger Games is set in Panam, a post-apocalyptic nation set in the ashes of America. Each year the poor districts must send a boy and girl to the wealthy capital. These kids, or "tributes," must then face off against one another in a vicious fight to the death known as "The Hunger Games". The "Games" are punishment for a past rebellion in which the districts unsuccessfully rebelled against the Capital.
The movie stayed remarkably close to the book and was very entertaining. Jennifer Lawrence was outstanding as Katniss and the acting was superb. I was slightly disappointed in the fight scenes. They often were only shaky blurs followed by a shot of a mangled corpse. The characters stayed close to their roles in the books, aside from Haymitch, who was far more sober than the incoherent drunk you see in the book. I wasn't blown away by Katniss's "girl on fire costume," but the sets and the capital were perfect down to the last detail.
The verdick: 4.5 out of 5. It is thrilling, intense, and superbly acted and retains the gritty, suspenseful feel of the book.
