comingsoon.net/films.php?id=53787
Has anyone read the book this is based on? Apparently this is another very popular young-adult series and the film adaptation has been rapidly gaining buzz over the last couple of months. I really liked Jennifer Lawrence in X-Men: First Class so the fact that she’s playing the lead here is of interest to me. It’s currently planned for a release on March 23.
I read the books and I liked them well enough. A movie based of it though… I don’t know how that’ll work. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. 
I read them, and I feel like they’d do pretty well in movie-form! They’re popular enough to earn a lot of money. I didn’t like them really, but maybe I’ll enjoy the movie more.
I thought I’d bump this thread, realizing that several people on the board are familiar with the books.
Is anyone else actually looking forward to the movie? I say this as someone who read Battle Royale seven years ago and has zero interest in the Twilight series, so I don’t really care about the comparisons many have and will continue making. THG isn’t a flawless story, particularly because I often felt Collins was too attached to certain characters and therefore relied too often on little miracles and luck during the fighting. However, the series has its own special qualities about the hardships of war, and I think that could become a compelling story for the big screen. Plus, the trailers show a faithful translation from the books to film. Maybe I mean that more in terms of visuals than other things, but I still think the adaptation will be good and the core of the first book will be kept in tact.
I am very much so looking forward to this movie. As q_o_p put it, the books aren’t without their flaws but I quite enjoyed them overall and was really interested in the running war survival theme throughout them. The trailer certainly exceeded my expectations and if they stay as faithful to the books as it so far looks like, it could be really good.
I just started reading the first book. Its pretty good so far, so i might see the movie.
btw, new trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=OgssLmsOa2s
I’m not familiar with the story, but I’m scared it will become the new Twilight.
I’ve read the books. I already shared my thoughts on the series on the Books thread. To summarize, I think it had an stellar beginning but it lost a little something by the last book and ended being not too good.
Anyway it MAY become a good film, and I like Jennifer Lawrence, but there’s one reason why the adaptation won’t probably be that good: a great part of the book’s effectiveness is based in it’s grittiness (and the gore of young kids killing each other). I won’t think that will translate too well in this kind of film because it will necessarily be toned down.
Another thing I’m worried about is that I’m pretty sure they’ll make a lot of emphasis in the love triangle, which was the plot of the book that I disliked the most.
I was wondering that as well. 
Hmm… I guess we’ll just have to see in a month or so. I can’t wait to read early reviews.
Try to imagine Battle Royale without the gore.
I’m certainly afraid it may not work.
Yeah, that movie would never work without gore, I agree.
If they can’t use the violence to sell, I’m pretty much afraid they’ll use the other thing: the romance plot.
If they’ll make too much emphasis on that, I’m afraid I’ll reject the series for good.
I know i only read the first book, but the romance plot didnt bother me at all. The only thing i want is for the movie to follow the book. And i think it will because it keeps a lot of plot points and characetrs intact.
Also, Amy43, What do you mean the “new Twilight”? These books are NOTHING like Twlilight. I dont care if they advertize it like Twilight, i want it to be a good movie and a good adaptation.
The romance plot is much heavier in the sequels. Those are the ones I’m most worried about.
Not only for that reason, but also because they’re overall weaker.
What I mean is that I hope it doesn’t turn into this thing where there is merchandise all over the stores, people doing the whole “team ______” and “team _________,” and a big rivalry of people who like it and don’t like it.
I guess I shouldn’t be talking because I don’t know the story and I’m sure it’s better than twilight.
Im ok with merchandise. That kind of thing doesn’t bother me either. (I already have my mockingjay logo t-shirt. 
)
I think Amy’s okay to wonder whether this will be the next Twilight franchise. I mean, now the same studio will be releasing both franchises (Lion’s Gate/Summit), and they do overlap when it comes to certain characteristics and audience. But yes, I hope the general public doesn’t keep comparing THG to other movies and instead tries to appreciate the strengths of the story (much of which comes from surviving a dictating government and the games themselves—though I admit I think [spoil]the Peeta relationship is sweet and should be included[/spoil]).
I like the trailer and enjoyed the books but its odd that the main actress is Caucasian. Not how I pictured her at all TBH from the descriptions of how she looked like book wise. All the same it looks interesting and I’m definitely going to see it. 
And while The Hunger Games isn’t perfect I’d far from compare it to Twilight except on the basis of whether it will be a smash hit as Twilight was in terms of numbers.
Twilight is nothing but romance and a bit of action thrown here and there, whereas in THG while playing an important part romance isn’t the whole plot. Also Twilights darkness is a lot more… superficial than THG in that area.
THG isn’t perfect all the same (it’s… a bit suspect that the main protagonist doesn’t seem to kill anyone who is technically ‘good’/is friends with while in the Games? Bit of a wasted opportunity there for growth/giving the hero even more trauma.) But still head and shoulders over Twilight if only for entertainment value and message as a YA novel series. Granted, it doesn’t take much for a different YA novel to be deeper than Twilight. But then, popular movies/books aren’t necessarily those which make you think. Twilight is pure and immature escapist fantasy if you don’t realise how abusive Edward is (nor does the author intend to promote abusive relationships) whereas The Hunger Games are a place you certainly wouldn’t want to live in and is protrayed as such by the author as bad intentionally. Instead THG are about what perhaps you would do in that horrible situation if anything- while not perfectly perhaps, it at least tries to do this, and I was interested in the last book when the rebels upon winning proved not too far removed from the former oppressors.
I suppose other than the love triangle one thing in common could be slightly snotty protagonists’: though for me Katniss actually has more of a right to be snotty than Bella does what with having no father and having to half raise her sister and her mum. I mean its not nice or pleasent or maybe even right to be snotty but its more understandable in Katniss case. I could see a kid being bitter at their lost childhood like that and not getting the full picture. Bella is more the stereotype though of a teenager.
Bella moans when she has two parents who love her (who cares if they’re divorced they love her and that’s what matters) and she has a typical middle class American life before the vampires show up (at best her mum is a bit of a ditz and we see Bella treat her like a child). Katniss is unsympathetic to her mum which is at first a tad annoying although understandable since she’s a teenager (since losing someone you love is something people react in different ways to and people Katniss’ age dont always get that- heck people in general sometimes don’t), but I get the impression she was beginning to learn sympathy in later books and at least she actually contributed to the family in the form of hunting and all. Bella complained for the sake of complaining and did not have any real problems in her life before her abusive boyfriend got involved. And she doesn’t even see it as abuse.
And while both do think they’re more mature than they actually are, Bella is still far less mature than Katniss. And Bellas immaturity will just continue given how Edward treats her and ‘owns’ her. She’ll maybe never grow while she remains as Edward’s partner. Katniss has a depressing ending in some ways but she has potential in the future still to grow.
A part of me almost feels sorry for a character such as Bella even if she’d annoy the heck out of me if I met her IRL. Because she is abused without realising it. Even if I disliked her, Id want to take her back to her dad or get her to a woman’s shelter or therapist. Because dang it, people don’t deserve to be treated like that even if they are immature little snots. They deserve better. Katniss could also use a therapist clearly given what she went through though for different reasons.
I was also actually surprised at the outcome of the love triangle.I think a part of me expected Gale to win for some reason, granted I have read too many books/fanfics where Gales character would win.
I read the books fairly recently and Katniss was, in fact, Caucasian.
Actually it’s technically possible for her to be mixed race or another race- she has traits in the books races other than Caucasian could have, so in the end its simply not how I pictured her personally. She could be white yes, but there’s nothing to say she couldn’t be mixed race/ another race. Shes never actually said to be white from what I remember.
-shrugs-
Unless you have specific quotes of which I may have missed? It’s possible for her to be white certainly but I never remember it being stated as such.