Customer Reviews

The Hunger Games (Bilingual) [2-Disc DVD + Digital Copy]

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I read the books and by the time I got to the second one I was online checking to see if there was a movie yet....this is the first one with two more scheduled to be released. The books were adicting...the movie was great.

Entertaining, imaginative with good cinematography and set design. Fun and smart entertainment. I didn't read the book(s) so cannot compare.

Love the movie, blue ray is an excellent medium for viewing the movie and I have to provide
two more words

good movie wish it came with a dvd copey though but all around its a good movie and i like it

American science fiction adventure film directed by Gary Ross, based on the novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins. It is the first installment in The Hunger Games film series.

A good idea feebly presented, not as bad as Dune (the ultimate benchmark for Great Story Poorly Presented), but with some actual ACTING and WRITING it could have been so much better. Worth watching once.

I watched this movie over the week-end when I had little else to do. While only mildly entertaining as far as dramatic action goes, this film's portrayal of a future age was hardly convincing. On the one hand, it is not hard to make a film these days that appeals to a mass audience that shows how young people can actually survive in an overly competitive world corrupted by adult values based on the lure of a reality-TV culture. All one has to do is to blend features of modern culture gone bad with a new take on the apocalyptic and you have a flick that might just fire the viewer's imagination as to how they might have to live in a future world if they hope to survive. However, this film's focus on an emerging society, driven by its need to institutionalize competition in the form of annual gladiatorial games in order to preserve and entertain itself, is more a throw-back to medieval times than a look forward to a bone-chilling 'brave new world'. It just doesn't do enough to stir my sense of real danger and evil. Yes, I get what this film, based on a very popular book series, is trying to tell young people but that doesn't make it a great piece of cinematic construction. First, we have an America that is divided into prefectures or territories that have hand-appointed representatives to fight for them in a contest to the death. Factored into this setting is a national ritual based on a version of the Reality TV game show, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?". Each of the participants will pair up to engage mortal combat that consists mainly of their ability to use a bow and arrow and their own natural survival instincts. Second, the sense of hunger in these games has nothing to do with food and everything to do with winning, not by chance or manipulation, but by self-initiative and honor. These are values that reflect, in the mind of the filmmaker, the true mind and heart of a champion. This message, while part of a growing survivalist trend, hardly squares with our modern world. While we want to be true to ourselves and the ones we love by acting on the courage of our convictions when the chips are down, we will invariably be controlled by the culture of the day that demands that we play the game according to rules set by our masters. If you want to watch a film that really captures the challenges of living and surviving in a new world, try "Battle Royale".

In concept, The Hunger Games is basically THX 1138 meets Death Race 2000, but in execution it feels more like a metaphor for how we are forced to compete against others in the pursuits of our dreams (or even just to survive.) I haven't read the novel, but the idea is genius. Anyone can identify with it on at least a sub-conscious level. As a story it's intriguing, scary and exciting. I wanted to hate this film after all the hype, and for having the word "games" in the title (as a cheap marketing gimmick,) but it impressed me.

As a woodsman, some parts did annoy me. Of course whenever anyone in a Hollywood film is in the woods they have to fall, but after slamming over roots, rocks and ground, at the very least you'd be badly bruised and disoriented. Also, a bow & arrow might look easy but it actually takes a powerful arm and shoulder to manage. It's like pulling back 60 pounds with your fingers! It's difficult to pull off with grace, and added to this, repeated shots. Also, what kind of predator can be outrun by humans?

As for the violence, what sets this apart to other films for me is how easily randomly-selected people take to killing other human beings. Killing an animal for the first time can be a difficult thing. As for taking a human life, I guess I would look to "Unforgiven" as a realistic example of that. As good as this film is, its unrealistic approach to violence hurts it a bit for me. One could argue that it's taking the "Lord of the Flies" approach. In which case, the enemy is human nature. There is however that repressive Big Brother theme here, which questions the evils of centralized power and mainstream media. Obviously this film is in part exploring the exploitation factor of reality shows. As the kids are being observed by the adult watchers above, I can't help but be reminded of "The Truman Show," a film which was in some ways a precursor to reality TV.

I'll be reading the Hunger Games novels now for sure! I'd recommend this film for anyone who enjoys something different, thought-provoking or if you like romantic thrillers. But be warned; kids forced to kill other kids is obviously not subject matter suited for all audiences. The film isn't really about the violence though. It's about the main characters, as human beings, and how they overcome their ordeals. We watch them struggle and find ourselves rooting for them, before we realize the moral wrong in rooting for anyone in such a blood sport. In theory, we, like the viewers of the program in this film, should not be rooting for anything but the blood sport's termination. Otherwise, we are supporting blood sport entertainment. By engaging us into the sport, emotionally invested in the main characters, the film uses us to make its point to us.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie considering that I definitely do not fit in what I felt to be the target demographic.
Widely appealing story with enjoyable characters. Highly recommended.

I read the book and saw the movies in theater.
I really liked it so I decided to buy it. Much cheaper than in stores!