Ok. Read all three books on a business trip last week (gotta love the Kindle, but easy reading ) and took the family to see the movie on Saturday. My kids are 20,22, and 26. Wife went along. We see a lot of sci-fi/fantasy type stuff like Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, the Star Wars stuff, etc. as a family. Ok, we're geeks.
One kid read book one only, two kids read all three as did I, wife read none of them. Verdict: We all liked the movie and now my wife is reading the books for the details. It's a good movie story without knowing all the details from the book (1), but it's better if you know the back story line about the "fake" romance on screen and a few other tidbits about the districts, etc. Katniss is a great lead and the young lady playing her is very believable. The movie was violent, if you can imagine that. The violence is essential to the storyline after all.
The CGI were very good, but not as impressive as the imagery in the book. The imagination is a powerful thing. The outdoor "arena" (action) scenes were filmed around Asheville NC in the woods and around streams, so you can imagine what the woods looked like if you've ever been in western NC. Nicely done photography and blended graphics.
The audience was heavily younger teens and female, but all ages and both genders were there and the place was packed.
Summary: Good show. Interesting if slightly disturbing premise, and a bit of commentary on where society might go.
