Why I'm Waiting to See "The Hunger Games"

I've been looking forward to The Hunger Games movie for a long time, but there are a couple of reasons why I'm not going to see it right away.

Number one: I don't like crowded movie theaters. (That's my armrest! And stop trying to open your Milk Duds during the quietest part of the movie!)

Number two: I believe this movie (and the whole series in general) shouldn't have been marketed to teenagers.

To preface, I didn't just jump on the bandwagon yesterday. My 15 year-old sister recommended I read the books when they first came out and I was hooked. From the beginning, I thought this series was destined for a Hollywood trilogy.

It's got all the makings of what I love in blockbuster films -- a strong heroine with a wicked cool skill, sweeping landscapes with natural dangers, a dystopia storyline and gruesome battle scenes. But, I think there was something holding The Hunger Games back - it's audience.

As much as I loved the series, I wish the author had written it for adults, so that the film could have been rated R. It's a story someone like Tarrantino could take a bite out of -- look at Kill Bill. The Hunger Games is dark and needs a similar touch, something audiences can relish fully in the theater.

With a PG-13 rating, I'm afraid the essence of the storyline will get washed out. And it's not the director's fault -- to market to it's target audience (teenagers, like my sister), the film had to be PG-13. It's not that I think teens can't handle it, but filmmakers have a lot more room to be creative and intense when they are shooting a movie for adult audiences.

If it were rated R, people could focus on the quality of the movie, rather than whether or not it's appropriate for teens to see.

But, when it's PG-13, you can make a lot more money.

I was out celebrating a friend's birthday at The Triple Door this weekend when I got into an interesting coversation about the series. A friend of mine said he hated the book and refused to see the movie on the simple fact that, if he had a child, he would not want them to see it. He thought it was wrong that a story like that was marketed to a younger audience. It made me wonder how many other Games readers felt isolated by the same thought -- that the story didn't fit the mold it was marketed and sold with, so it blocked them from enjoying it fully.

The thought definitely crossed my mind, but it wasn't a dealbreaker. Luckily, I have a good imagination. And a deep love for twisted, juicy storylines.

So, I'm waiting for a rainy Sunday when the theater crowds have thinned out, or when the movie hits the $1 theater circuit. Maybe even Redbox.

I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Do you think The Hunger Games series was made for the right audience? Have you seen the movie, and what did you think?