*WARNING: If you just want the film to surprise you, and don’t want to be given any information about it, I suggest that you look over this blog post. And yes, that was a needlessly long way of saying SPOILERS!!! You have been warned.*

After the disappointment of having to miss seeing the film with my friends on a cinema trip, I finally got the chance to see the over-two-hour film last night. I was not expecting what I saw! As a Hunger Games fan, I was beaming nearly the whole way through.

And that’s the thing. I was only beaming through MOST of the film. There were some bits I was annoyed by: bits that were either taken out of the book, or added to the film. Suzanne Collins was co-writer and executive producer, but I hope that she made no contribution to any of these changes; she’s a super writer, and I’m sure that she’s clever enough to know that these would have been too risky.

At the beginning of the book, Katniss is given her precious mockingjay pin by the mayor’s daughter. In the film, she finds it at Old Sal’s stall, where it isn’t one of a kind, but one of many. Not only is it a far less interesting introduction of the mockingjay pin, but it spoils the sequel (in danger of spoilers, I won’t say how).

The moment where Haymitch has the mother of all You’ve Been Framed moments and topples off the edge of the stage is also omitted, probably because the director deemed it unsuitable to have a moment of humour during a time of emotional turmoil. However, I loved this moment in the book, and I was sad to see that it was cut out.

Also, throughout the book, they constantly cut away from the action to conversations between the Games Master and Haymitch, or the Games Master and President Snow (cutting his white roses that’ll make any Hunger Games fan shiver at the thought of smelling it).

And finally, and I know that it’s not really suitable since it’s not the done thing for a film, but there was no running commentary of Katniss’ suffering thoughts and feelings that the book’s first person tense presented so geniusly.

But aside from the niggles, the film was astounding. I had not felt so much bitter hatred for humanity since I saw The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. During the film, there were several moments when I spat right at the game controllers, “YOU DISGUSTING BEASTS.” I was consistently close to crying. The District 12 population marching into the square at the beginning brought to mind a crowd of Jews heading for their doom in the gas chambers. Effie Trinket’s sickly smile and white paint smeared all over her face like gloppy paint was appropriately disgusting. And I needn’t tell you how many times I mouthed along to that infernal catchphrase, “And may the odds be ever in your FRICKING FAVOUR.” And those moments when we cut to the game controllers grinning as they watch the contestants scream and run and cry in the arena just makes you want to strangle them to death.

But, looking on the bright side, it was nice that they had Caesar Flickerman appear at certain points during The Hunger Games as a walking, talking Hunger Games for Dummies book, explaining what trackerjackers are (the moment they infected Katniss was a heart-pounding moment, as was the moment the mutt leaps out…) and what Katniss doesn’t see. And Rue…oh, Rue was a dream to watch, even from the moment she’s first introduced. And there is tremendous acting from the person who plays Peeta. And Prim is SO CUTE!

If you’re a Hunger Games fan, I’d say that this film is 4/5, since the changes from the book can often be rather annoying. But if you’ve never read the book, then I have no hesitation in awarding this film a 5/5, although I would also recommend that you read the book instead if you can. Don’t be put off by the length. The way you’ll read it, it might as well be 100 pages long!

Live long and prosper! And may the odds be ever in your favour! 😀