The Hunger Games review round-up, tracking ahead of Twilight and Harry Potter?
The first opinions on The Hunger Games movie are in, as reports suggest that it's set for a Harry Potter and Twilight-rivaling opening weekend...
Lionsgate has gambled a lot on its movie adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. It’s the most expensive production that the studio has embarked on to date, and it’s already started work on the second film in the series, Catching Fire.
The release of the first, The Hunger Games, is now just a couple of weeks away, and the initial bunch of critics have been allowed in to see it. They seem to be embargoed from posting full reviews for the time being, but have been granted a green light to post their brief reviews and thoughts to Twitter.
As such, the initial raft of reactions to the film have come through, and they’re overwhelming positive…
Collider (@colliderfrosty)If you’re a Hunger Games fan, happy to report the film is great and you’re going to be very happy with Gary Ross’ film.
Todd Gilchrist (@mtgilchrist)I’m getting in line behind my colleagues to say that The Hunger Games is terrific – thoughtful, thrilling, well-acted & emotionally engaging.
Silaslesnick (@silaslesnick)I can tell you all now that I’ve seen – and really loved – The Hunger Games. It’s not just a great adaptation. It’s a new sci-fi classic.
First Showing (@firstshowing)I have visited The Hunger Games. And they were awesome. I think I loved the movie, as good as the book. Had a LOTR-epic feeling by the end.
Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself)I enjoyed The Hunger Games movie a lot – Donald Sutherland is wonderful.
That’s just a flavour of what’s being said, with full reviews we believe arriving next week. Pretty much every opinion we found on the film thus far, though, was positive.
Furthermore, it seems that Lionsgate may have a substantial commercial hit on its hands. The studio is predicting, we hear, a $75m opening weekend in the US, when it opens on March 22nd. According to HitFix, non-Lionsgate predictions suggest that the film may do up to double that, with a Twilight and Harry Potter-rivalling box office tally predicted. It may yet eclipse both, such is the wave of enthusiasm for the film that’s being tracked.
Given that reviews are looking like they’re going to be extremely positive, The Hunger Games might just be shaping up to be the first massive live action blockbuster hit of 2012. By the sounds of it, it might just deserve to be, too.
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