The Hunger Games (no spoilers)

[Skgoa]

So, after hearing much about this movie and watching a not that flattering review by Movie Bob, the question comes to mind: should I watch it or should I go ahead and read the books? Or are they just as bad?

[SilverWingedSeraph]

I'd recommend the books over the movie hands down, but the movie wasn't exactly terrible, it was just made with people who'd already read the book in mind apparently, because they left out large chunks of information of varying importance and toned things down a hell of a lot to keep the ratings low as well. So yeah, I'd say read the first book and then if you like that, you'll probably like the movie. If you don't like it, I imagine you'd like the movie even less, because it's the same thing except not as good.

[evilsoup]

Haven't read the book, saw the movie yesterday.
I could see what they were trying to do, I think, but it was so hamfisted and blagh. And they actually undermined their overall message at several points.
Also, shakycam fight-scenes, ye gods no.

The aesthetics of the bad guys are interesting, but really that's the only interesting part of the film. It had potential, I think, but they wasted a good opportunity. Don't bother seeing it in the cinema; should be worth a look when it comes on TV in a year or so, though.
Can't speak for the book.

[Grumman]

I can't say much about The Hunger Games, but you might be interested in watching the Japanese film Battle Royale. While the basic premise is the same (a bunch of teenagers enter, only one leaves), the backstory (victorious Capitol forces defeated Districts to sacrifice children for shits and giggles vs. government terrorising/culling a generation left aimless by socioeconomic breakdown) and (AIUI) the characters and plot are quite different.

[fgalkin]

They're both pretty bad, but BR is worse by far. It's so bad it's almost MST3k-worthy.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Spekio]

I don't really like the books, but I have yet to see the movie.

A certain Farla did a in-depth reading of The Hunger Games series, worth checking out. http://farla.livejournal.com/274937.html

[Sriad]

The book is probably a better bet. A lot of the dramatic tension comes from Katniss' internal dialogue and moral debates; from what I've heard that pretty much isn't present in the movie. Their absence makes the book's deliberate moral ambiguity and manipulation look like ambiguity and dumb luck arising from film-maker incompetence. Some people also report that the movie doesn't do a good job establishing the world as a Sci-Fi setting (based on the previews I've seen "what the fuck you guys?" but I'm passing on what I've heard) which makes the sudden appearances of SF elements here and there jarring and/or hilarious.

[evilsoup]

Doesn't establish itself as a sci-fi setting- what, did they miss the opening narration that explained 'IN THE FUTURE xyz Hunger Games blah blah', or the mag-lev train or the freaky airship that are in the first half-hour? Not saying it's a good film, but it's pretty clearly sci-fi.

[Block]

I was forced to read the first book by an ex, the subject matter may not have been young adult, but the writing certainly was. The best thing I can say about it is that it's too short to get bored.

[Grumman]

Doesn't establish itself as a sci-fi setting- what, did they miss the opening narration that explained 'IN THE FUTURE xyz Hunger Games blah blah', or the mag-lev train or the freaky airship that are in the first half-hour? Not saying it's a good film, but it's pretty clearly sci-fi.

Maglev trains and airships are pretty mundane as far as sci-fi goes (still awesome in real life, though). I'm guessing Sriad is talking about more esoteric technologies that I have also heard mentioned by people who saw the film.

[Sea Skimmer]

They're both pretty bad, but BR is worse by far. It's so bad it's almost MST3k-worthy.

You'd really hope Battle Royale would be a lot worse with 1/15th the budget and source material that is more or less pure killing. The movie actually invented some additional plot with how they figure out how to beat them system, kind of, to try to round things out more I think.

[Skgoa]

A certain Farla did a in-depth reading of The Hunger Games series, worth checking out. http://farla.livejournal.com/274937.html

I have only read a few chapters of that but I guess I won't bother with either version of The Hunger Games. Instead, I am delighted to finally have found a work of media that is more stupid than The Mist.

[Spekio]

It gets stupider in Mockingjay.

[Grumman]

A certain Farla did a in-depth reading of The Hunger Games series, worth checking out. http://farla.livejournal.com/274937.html

Thanks for posting that, Spekio. It's a good read, not just for what it says about the book, but also the general trivia the author brings up.

Unfortunately, it agrees with my initial reaction to the trailer: that the creators just don't "get" the setting they have created. It doesn't have to be dark, but it does need to not be petty.
Spoiler

From reading that, the first half of Chapter Nine sounds like the best part so far. Katniss is actually acting like someone who got cornered into volunteering to compete in a child murder sport. It's not the only right way it could have been handled, but lashing out out of fear and latching on emotionally to the slave who's the only person not involved in her imminent death feels like a perfectly understandable response.