Books to Movies: 'Hunger Games'

One may read a book before the movie.  One may see a movie before reading the book.  First impressions only happen once, firstly.  There are no second chances.  No going back.  Unless, of course, you plan on going back to read the book (or give the movie a chance).

Chris Van Allsburg (Jumanji, The Polar Express) was at first disappointed when he saw the film adaptations of his children’s books before he understood that his novels were not blueprints for someone else.  His story was now in the hands of a screenwriter, a director, and a studio that would expand the idea, according to their visions.

Blatant changes in a popular story, such as killing off key legendary villains in comic book movies (Batman, Spider-Man) can upset an audience.  Rearranging morals and foundations (see reworked versions of John Grisham’s The Firm and Runaway Jury) is also going out on a limb.

Hunger Games is no longer an intriguing, multimillion-copy-selling novel for young adults and regular adults, but could be THE movie for that same audience.

And it is.

They made sure to stay true to the book, develop the characters (as much as they could with a novel written in first person and present tense) and keep it PG-13.  Is it Gone with the Wind or The Godfather?  No.  But the acting, directing, and special effects rise higher than Harry’s broom, and much higher than the TV-movie like production value of recent vampire escapades.

(For a brief blurb on “Hunger Games,” go to our BOOKS TO MOVIES section.)

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