I hadn't really prioritized adding this film to my watchlist because it didn’t seem like something I would enjoy, but when my wife and oldest son questioned why we didn't own it, I figured, alright, let's get it then. Actually, I purchased the set containing both movies that have been released, and yesterday we watched the first one. Honestly, as far as I’m concerned, it isn’t a terrible movie; it’s just “okayish,” but I really don’t understand all the excitement surrounding it. It's quite a bit short of being a truly great film. However, I might be predisposed to dislike it since, like I mentioned earlier, I didn’t think this was something I would particularly enjoy. Regardless, it begins with numerous scenes filmed using what they call “wobblycam.” I haven’t encountered anyone outside of the movie industry or self-proclaimed critics who actually likes that shaky camera work; the blurring and general nausea are unpleasant to watch. It's not a good start! The core concept behind the story is, frankly, ridiculous. A portion of society lives in luxury while others struggle with starvation—we’ve seen this kind of thing before. Every year, seemingly random children, not adults, are chosen to fight each other to the death under some flimsy excuse for “maintaining peace.” As I said, it's absurd. This sense of absurdity is emphasized by the outlandish costumes, makeup, and hairstyles worn by the people in the capital city. While I enjoy science fiction and fantasy, this element only mildly engaged me and didn’t really make me want to see what happened to the characters. The acting is generally acceptable but unremarkable. Still, it must be challenging to deliver a good performance with some of the silly roles presented in this movie. I certainly would have laughed out loud every time I saw someone enter a scene wearing those ridiculous costumes. The main characters behave like children, completely unaware of what’s happening—which aligns with the story's premise. However, the central character spends a lot of time running away and looking startled, sad, or depressed when the games begin. At times, the movie felt a little dull; I appreciate slow-paced films, but this one just didn't quite work for me. The games themselves, with those unpleasant people in charge and the constantly changing rules, were mostly frustrating. This film seems geared toward a young adult audience. I haven’t read the books, and it's easy to see how this type of story would function well within a YA novel format. Personally, I wasn’t unhappy that I watched it, and now that I’ve seen the first movie, I will watch the rest as well. For me, it was just an okay two-hour distraction, nothing more.

Source on TMDB