Movie Review (Letter #2, 2012)

Hello there,


Once again, I've been at a loss for a nice-sounding title, so I went to the obvious alternative of... the obvious. (inner voice: Haha, bet you think you're pretty funny with that wordplay now.)


Today's been one hell of a long day, from missing first period of class, to talking more about Japan with our lecturer, to an impromptu visit to the mall with my friends. Which brings us to today's topic of the ever-tricky movie review. Although to be honest, it isn't as much an actual review as it is a highly-opinionated essay by an amateur regarding the movie. By the way, if you just read that sentence without looking twice, that means you're much more awake and aware than I am.


So, the film ran around a good 2 hours, and to me, the first act was too damn long. Right off the bat you have this text describing what the Hunger Games are, which lets anyone who has the slightest capacity for imagination know exactly what to expect from the movie, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of watching it in the first place.
The film goes to great lengths to show you these characters, who they are etc., but for me, it's not really enough time to really invest and care for them. There are points in the storyline that just has me thinking right now, "So what? What was that for?"


Another thing that bothered me early in the movie was the shaky camera work. Or as I say quite cleverly (note the sarcasm), the Un-Steadycam shots. That said, I suppose it's quite a minor thing to dislike anyway and isn't that much of a big deal.


To me, every scene in a movie should serve a function, primarily to evoke certain emotions in the audience. This could mean anything from very strong emotions of anger, excitement, or despair, to such transitory emotions that accompany a sigh of relief. (No, that last sentence didn't make much sense to me either, but I'm really sleepy, so I'm excusing myself for now) And a really good movie would let those emotions flow seamlessly from one scene to the next.
That said, at numerous points in the film, I found myself wondering what the hell was going on. I kept waiting to see what purpose that particular scene served and didn't find much at all. I was constantly feeling detached from the film, feeling very aware that I was watching a film, whereas in my most favorite movies I can just become lost within that world.
At times, it felt like Twilight (yes, I have unfortunately read and watched the first one), where I was aware that most scenes wouldn't really work as well for people who haven't read the novels. Right now, I can't help but feel the same thing may be going on. Maybe the film adaptation of The Hunger Games is better suited for people who have actually read the novel.


Aside from all that, there were some silver linings. The performances by the actors were quite remarkable (in my eyes as a casual viewer, definitely NOT an expert on the matter though). The costumes were everything from inspired to absolutely ridiculous (it's a fictional universe after all, and again I'm no expert). And I'm not sure how many conventional songs are in the film, but the score was subtle enough and definitely helped the viewing experience.


Overall, I think the movie had a great potential in terms of premise/concept, but failed to fulfill that potential to its maximum capacity. It definitely had much to offer, but in the end failed to deliver.
Some movies, either intricately complex or beautifully simplistic, can leave you with a sense of enrichment when the credits roll. A sense that you've just been touched by magic. The Hunger Games, sadly, is not one of those movies for me.


Everything I just said is of course my own personal opinion, with no intention to change anyone else's. Like or hate it, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and if you could enjoy the movie more than I did, then good for you. Creative ventures work best on the personal level anyway.


Until next time,


- Zet Valentine