I walked out of the movie theater thinking "It was good". Maybe it was because I knew the book. Maybe it was because of the hype.
The movie was very stylized and had quote a few 1st person camera shots. Not sure how well it would read (no pun intended) if you didn't read the books. All the information is there, you just need to know where to look.
Otherwise, great acting - majors props to Lenny Kravitz as Cinna is one of my favorite characters. Breathtaking costumers and scenery - and a FANTASTIC set up for the next two (three?) movies