The overall cinematography and atmosphere were masterfully done as well. The erratic angles of the film perfectly
captured the urgent and intense tone of the novel. As Katniss was dodging flames and struggled to focus on which direction to run, the audience likewise was thrown
into the situation with constantly changing views of the circumstance. As far as the setting goes, the surroundings were spectacular. The capitol was constructed
to look as breathtaking on the screen as in the imagination of the series’ readers. Personally, I was stunned when Katniss’s room in the Capitol was almost
identical to what I had pictured when reading the book.
Despite the overall success, some hard-core fans did have a few complaints. Regarding the book vs. the film, Lexie Carper (11) says, “They
were both really good, but the book is better because the movie left out some details that added to the excitement.” One of the biggest differences between the
book and movie was, not surprisingly, the point of view. While the book was written from Katniss’s point of view, a tactful way to truly involve the reader in
the story through the use of emotion and experience, the movie was done in third person. While this does mean the more personal ties of the story are lost, there
is a redeeming factor. The reactions of people in the Capitol and back in the Districts were able to be shown, which added a nice depth and diversity of perspective.
The change in point of view may have been somewhat of a loss, but the producers at Lionsgate did a nice job compensating.
Other plot points that were overlooked were small stories but could have had large impacts. First, the Mockingjay pin. While in the book Katniss
receives the pin from the Mayor’s daughter as a representation of District 12; in the movie, she buys the pin from a vendor instead. Second, the story of the Avox who
served Katniss at the Capitol was not mentioned whatsoever. Lastly, the mutants called upon to end the games entered into the movie much too early. In the book, the
mutants were summoned after the struggle between Katniss, Peeta, and Cato when they were already at the Cornucopia. In the movie, on the other hand, the mutants chased
all of the characters to their meeting place. While these points were not entirely crucial to the overall plot, they were part of what made the story so rich in its
content. However, for time’s sake, it makes sense that they were left out. Devoted fans may have been disappointed, but if one had not read the books, the movie could
still be followed and enjoyed despite the lack of backstory.
Relatively speaking, no major plot details were overlooked. The first movie portraying the Hunger Games was impressive
and Lionsgate plans to continue their movie success with this series. May the odds be ever in their favor. Happy Hunger Games!
