Today I'm doing something different. I'm giving you the review of myself and my 3 kids ages ranging in (11-17yrs).
IMBd Description:
2hr 22min - Rated PG-13 - Action/Adventure/Scifi/Fantasy
Director: Gary Ross - Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence, Wes Bentley, Woody Harrelson
Sixteen year old Katniss Everdeen volunteers in her younger sister's place to enter the games, and is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy when she's pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
MY 11yr old's Review:
She didnt' read the book so she was excited to go see the movie with her older brother and sister. We purchased tickets for my oldest son to take them since My husband and I went to the midnight showing the night before. We debated allowing her to see the movie but felt that for her it wasn't over the top violent and she would enjoy it considering the things she likes to read. Well, she told us that she cried twice in the movie. That she really felt connected to Rue, but not so much to Katniss - more so with Katniss' sister. She did say that she really didn't understand why they would be so cruel as to make kids kill each other.
MY 17yr Old's Review:
He didn't read the book either, but absolutely loved the movie. He thought the love scene was okay. He also felt that the fighting was 'wacked' meaning not that great. He felt it could have been more suspenseful while the games took place. He said he didn't get the hunted feeling like he would in a horror flick or a flick where the main character is being chased for their lives. He said some of the stuff seemed unbelievable. But he added saying it was still a good movie.
MY 14yr Old's Review:
She read the book and said that they did a good job. Overall she would have liked to see more of the other districts. But she had not one bad thing to say about the movie and absolutely loved it.
MY Review:
In some ways I agree with my son. I really had a hard time connecting to Katniss portrayed in the movie. Her pliat and struggle wasn't exactly shown as well as it could have been but then - I still really enjoyed the movie.
4 out of 5 stars is our vote (even though my 14yr gave it a 5 out of 5) and would I take my 11yr old to it again. Probably not, I didn't like seeing her cry. Even though she said she loved it.
8 comments:
i am going to go see in a week or so to let the opening cool down a bit (i hate crowds) Im going with some friends and i hope we like it, im glad you and your family did!
This is viral in Edmonton. I have the book on my Kindle. Is this another Big Brother like in 1984? I was there.
The reviews from your 11 and 17-year-old kind of confirms something that I was wondering about the movie: Will people who have not read the book really "get" the movie? I don't mean this in a critical way. It's just that there was so much internal conflict in the book, I wondered how it could be portrayed in a movie. Your 14-year-old's review is probably based on the fact that she has already read the book, so she knows the internal conflict going on with Katniss.
I want my husband to see the movie with me. But I'm afraid he won't feel the same excitement as I because he hasn't read the book. :(
Thanks for sharing your kids' assessment of the movie with us, LM. I love to hear what kids have to say about books/movies that are aimed toward them.
Have a great weekend. :)
The Hunger Games has as much to say about oppressive politics and the bloodthirsty, heartless media as it does about the internal struggle among the combatants. Still though, everybody here is great, especially Lawrence in a star-making role, and definitely has me pumped up for the sequel. Good review L.M.. Check out my review when you can.
I referred to George Orwell's 1984 (I think that was the name of it) and agree with Dan O. that it's about oppressive politics and media carried on the back of the story about the combatants and how they got there, what they do, their lives and loves. It's a political commentary, I think, which I like, and wonder if the YA and MR get it, or those who watch the movie. On another note, have you read Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale"? All this has to do with Big Brother as the State. I was there in the 1960s when the protests started amongst the youth and returning veterans of the Vietnam War. I think the 60s reverberations are still being felt today. Indeed, many of the original hippies and protestors are still here today. I think an old Joan Baez song would be appropriate here, or maybe Bob Dylan.
Planning on a full review myself, but the biggest problem I had with the movie is that it was too darn slow. By Act II in the book, we're in the arena reading along as Katniss fights to survive. In the movie.... an hour and fifteen minutes later, we're still not in the arena. I think the movie focused too much on the front end without really developing Katniss' plight. Although, I think Jennifer Lawrence did capture Katniss' overall personality well.
I haven't seen the movie yet. I just finished reading the book last week.
I read the book and my husband didn't but both of us did enjoy the movie. I thought they did a nice job of orienting people who hadn't read the book.
You know, now that I read what you're son said, I didn't get the sense of the hunt from the book. I think Katniss worked really hard to stay out of the whole killing bit and hiding more than hunting.
I'm glad I don't have any young children. It's one of those movies that definitely walks the line.
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