Thank you! My indignant rage feels justified! I thought I might just have been too sensitive and overreacting to the audience thing.
I liked the use of the commentators. (Is it me, or is Toby Jones turning up in a lot more roles as of late?) I also liked that the film went beyond the original scope of the book to show us what was happening OUTSIDE the games. I felt it gave Seneca Crane more character and motivation; seeing his death (or the events and moments leading up to his death) was a lot more effective than Katniss learning about his death in the second book. Those scenes also made President Snow more ominous and Haymitch more sympathetic (while also showing you just what a mentor does to get sponsors). Without those scenes, any of those characters just would have been superfluous and/or underdeveloped additions. (Will say one thing, though: kinda disappointed in Haymitch not being drunk as much.)
no subject
I liked the use of the commentators. (Is it me, or is Toby Jones turning up in a lot more roles as of late?) I also liked that the film went beyond the original scope of the book to show us what was happening OUTSIDE the games. I felt it gave Seneca Crane more character and motivation; seeing his death (or the events and moments leading up to his death) was a lot more effective than Katniss learning about his death in the second book. Those scenes also made President Snow more ominous and Haymitch more sympathetic (while also showing you just what a mentor does to get sponsors). Without those scenes, any of those characters just would have been superfluous and/or underdeveloped additions. (Will say one thing, though: kinda disappointed in Haymitch not being drunk as much.)