2383 ( )

A dystopian government forces teenagers to fight to the death on TV.

I didn't love it, but they did a pretty good job. It's a damn hard book to adapt; a strictly faithful film would be at least three hours long and R-rated. Rather than rushing and forcing everything into the movie Harry Potter style, they chose their priorities and just did what they had time for. What made the cut is plot, a few nice science fiction ideas, and overarching themes of the series. What did not make the cut are most of the character relationships, and any of the trauma. But that's okay; there'll be plenty of time for character development in part 2, and for trauma in part 3.

Concept: A
Story: A
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: B
Cinematography: D
Special effects/design: B
Acting: B
Music: C

Enjoyment: A

GPA: 2.9/4 ( )

wide screen, 2-disc dvd