So I’ve been pretty sick the last week or so, I had a fever and ended up having hunger games renaissance. I’m talking watched the movies, read the books, and also read Peeta’s Games on A03 for the first time. I don’t half ass a renaissance, even when I’m sick. 
Anyways, after I reread the books and movies, I decided to leave a very long, at points chaotic review on Letterboxd for the hunger games to complain about all the important details they left out. Not only that, but explained how I thought a hunger games series would be so much better and basically rough drafted a season one. Here it is, please remember I had a fever of 101 and was on lots of cold medicine.
Listen, I get that this series was the start of the dystopian era for movies and such and when they were coming out I was 14 and obsessed. Probably would have loved almost any adaption they made. But as an adult rereading the books and watching the movie I’m so incredibly disappointed with them.
Katniss should have been played by someone younger, tinier, and honestly not been a white woman. I know the books never really address race and only describe her as olive skinned, but she is so clearly not coded to be white person. No offense to Jennifer Lawrence, she’s obviously a talented actress. The books also make it point multiple times to talk about how much smaller she was then the other tributes, even Peeta, who is supposed to be similar in size to Cato. And I think it takes away a LOT from the story to have her played by an actress that is so clearly not a child anymore. The whole point of the hunger games is it’s about actually children being forced into killing each other gladiator style! Katniss may be the “head of her house” even in the books but she is still a kid and taking that away changes the story drastically. I’ve read that the actress who played clove originally auditioned for Katniss and definitely think that would have been a way better fit despite being white as well. Also I hate how sterile they made Katniss in the movies, I know she is supposed to always be trying to be stoic, but they took away moments where she is overly emotional or laughing, or being angry with the capital. Another way of taking away an essential part of her character and humanity.
Aside from the main character problems, it’s frustrating to see how many little but significant changes were made.
Conversations between Katniss and Peeta were changed or omitted.
Hammitch and their stylists encouraging them to present themselves as a unit.
Peeta and katniss bonding because of their forced proximity and hammitch telling them to look like they like each other more.
Removing the avoxes storyline.
Madge not existing.
Not portraying the class differences within district 12 basically at all.
Katniss not loosing it, thinking she killed her family after firing the arrow at the pig.
So many little moments between katniss and peeta before the games to build up their story arc, it made it so hard to actually root for them and see romance between them. No fault to Josh hutcherson, honestly think he was very well cast as peeta. Maybe a little to old. (But that’s like the entire younger cast in my opinion, except Rue. Perfectly cast).
District 11 sending katniss the bread after she buries rue with the flowers. A support important detail in my opinion, and one that definitely upset snow and helped set up the catching fire and the upset in all the districts.
Even the tribute mutts at the end, I wanted them to be TERRIFYING like they were on the book. And yeah they were big and “scary”. But I wanted them to look like the tributes and do that creepy hind leg walking and have human like animation. Another way to drive home just how fucked the games are!!!!
The Cato rant and how quick his death was. In the books he fights off those mutts for what katniss describes as over the course of hours and is torture to her and peeta, until she is able to kill him.
Peeta not loosing his leg!! Another example of how even the winners of the games are left crippled physically and emotionally!!
Ughhh I know I’m missing a ton of other changes or omissions that upset me, but these are the biggest ones in my mind. I understand they were working within a pg13 rating and also a time limit. In my dream reality this book would have gotten a series adjacent in level to game of thrones or how books or even video games often get now. Would have given more time to explore the details and younger better casting. And definitely not a pg13 rating. These books are violent for a reason. Katniss would be quicker to anger and judgment. Hammitch would be less likable.
Shit here’s even an episode layout. The series itself would be three seasons. First season just the hunger games book. Let’s say 10 episodes for the whole book, each episode 30mins to an hour long. First episode ends with the reaping and katniss volunteering. Second episode goes up until the point of the night of their first training for the arena. Third episode ends after Peeta’s love declaration and katniss shoving peeta. Forth episode is all the start of the games up until when the careers find the other tribute by katniss and she realizes peeta is with them. Fifth episode ends with katniss being stung and barely escaping the tracker jackers. Sixth episode is all about katniss and rue together, ends with katniss honoring rue after she passes. Seventh episode is the rule change and katniss finding and nursing peeta back to health. Eighth episode is katniss going to get peeta medicine and ends with fox face dying. Ninth episode is the whole final battle between katniss, peeta, Cato and mutts; Ends when they announce rule change was not valid and that there can only be one winner, right as they pull out the berries. Tenth episode is the end of the games, aftermath and peeta & katniss finally making it home.
I’m def not a professional, just someone who loves this book series and wants to see it done authentically compared to the novels so it could be actually as impactful as the book series. Especially after seeing shows like the last of us succeed and be really well done compared to the story.
