Here it is, the next big hit for teenage audiences based on a big-selling book series. Of course it's no new Harry Potter, but thankfully, it's no new Twilight either.

The readers may get more information about the setting of futuristic/retro Panem than the movie viewers, but it is still a very interesting and fresh scenario, despite of the plagiarism complaints by fans of "Battle Royale". So 24 kids from 12 districts have to battle it out in nature with only one possible winner and survivor, while the whole world is watching on TV.

The first half of the film emphasizes on our protagonist Katniss' choice to take one of the spots (to save her sister), her arrival in the capitol as well as the training and preparation for the event. That's interesting, enthralling and with lots to see and discover. A few questions an unprepared viewer may have remain unanswered but the great cast, especially Jennifer "Next Big Thing" Lawrence, makes this part a fun dystopian story with plenty of potential.

Once the games are actually starting the anticipation is so high that you can't help but be a bit disappointed when all they are is basically a lot of sneaking around in a forest. That doesn't mean there aren't some cool action sequences, and we even get a few pretty teenager deaths, more than you could expect from a big Hollywood blockbuster.

The rest of the complaints probably should be aimed at the novel, not the film, but the ending falls a bit short. It's taking the easy way out and even though it leaves you wanting more and hoping to revisit those characters soon, a lot of opportunities have been missed. Questions like how it must feel to be forced to kill fellow teenagers are left untouched. There also is not enough commentary on a demented society that enjoys watching teenagers killing each other, but maybe we'll get there in the next part. Instead we even get the silly, generic, sadistic kids that team up to kill the rest and have it coming when our protagonist finally decides to strike back.

Still, a very entertaining movie that deserves most of the praise and huge success it will most certainly have, mostly for the excellent first half of interesting world-building, a fantastic cast and having a few wonderfully uncomfortable scenes.

8 out of 10 burning dresses for the first half, 6 out of 10 poison berries for the second, makes 7.