Jason Panella’s review published on Letterboxd:
Haven't read the books (outside of the jacket, ha), and my knowledge of the story within is based solely on overheard conversations. So this is based solely on the movie....which I kind of liked. I'm not sure I can say enjoyed, because I didn't *enjoy* Battle Royale either. I could tell the movie was really skimming past worldbuilding to touch on plot points (Katniss's attachment to Rue, for instance, feels like it was completely missing any substance).
Still, I'm a sucker for dystopian fiction, and the premise here had a lot of weight. As my wife informed me, the movie is WAY toned down from the book. I felt like Gary Ross did a nice job of shifting the various deaths of the sort of cathartic thrill you often find in movies; kids are killing kids, and I think the look at Katniss and Peeta's faces at the end speak volumes.