Review for hunger games

One thing I missed, however, was more self-awareness on the part of the tributes. As their names are being drawn from a fish bowl!

Katniss volunteers to take the place of her year-old kid sister, Prim Willow Shields , but no one explicitly discusses the fairness of deadly combat between girl children and year-old men. Apparently the jaded TV audiences of Panem have developed an appetite for barbarity.

Nor do Katniss and Peeta reveal much thoughtfulness about their own peculiar position. Well, maybe they're right. But I found the movie too long and deliberate as it negotiated the outskirts of its moral issues. Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from until his death in In , he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Rated PG for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images — all involving teens. Lenny Kravitz as Cinna. The Hunger Games is violent, but in a heartbreaking way that will both make audiences think and count the days until Catching Fire is in theaters.

Families can talk about how the "last man standing" premise minus the actual killing, of course in The Hunger Games compares to current reality shows.

Which shows pit people against each other? Why is it so much fun to watch the alliances and the voting off and the cattiness of these programs? How far do you think shows like this could go? Use the movie's depiction of Panem -- particularly the relationship between the Capitol and the 12 districts -- to discuss how much kids understand about totalitarian governments and dictatorships.

What does President Snow mean when he says he doesn't root for "underdogs"? Or that too much hope is a dangerous thing? Why are there more bleak portrayals of the distant future than optimistic ones? What are some other books and movies that feature a postapocalyptic or post-war future? How does Katniss compare to other female protagonists in young adult books and movies? What are her views on love, marriage, and kids, and how are they tied to the unimaginably dire circumstances she endures?

How do the characters in The Hunger Games demonstrate courage , self-control , and perseverance? Why are these important character strengths? How does the movie compare to the book? What are the main differences? Is it different to see violence rather than to read about it?

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate. Streaming options powered by JustWatch. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase.

Thank you for your support. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. The star rating reflects overall quality. Learn how we rate. Parents' Ultimate Guide to Support our work! The Hunger Games. Parents recommend Popular with kids.

Intense adaptation is violent, thought-provoking for teens. PG minutes. Rate movie. Watch or buy. Parents recommend Popular with kids. Exciting, provocative tale of lethal reality show. Suzanne Collins Science Fiction Rate book. Read or buy. Based on reviews. Get it now Searching for streaming and purchasing options Common Sense is a nonprofit organization.

Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Get it now on Searching for streaming and purchasing options Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update The Hunger Games, Book 1. Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission.

If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy. A lot or a little? The parents' guide to what's in this book. Stands out for positive messages and positive role models. Educational Value. Positive Messages. Positive Role Models. Some kissing. What parents need to know Parents need to know that The Hunger Games is a story about a reality show where 24 teens must kill one another until only one survives. Continue reading Show less.

Stay up to date on new reviews. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. User Reviews Parents say Kids say. Adult Written by canadianteacher March 12, My two cents. I'm going to write this from an educators point of view, but not as a parents. I am by no means the kind of teacher that tries to push boundaries in school Continue reading. Report this review.

Read full review. The Telegraph Robbie Collin Nov 20, Joe Neumaier Mar 20, As tough-spirited as fans would hope for - and exciting and thought-provoking in a way few adventure dramas ever are. Lisa Schwarzbaum Mar 20, A muscular, honorable, unflinching translation of Collins' vision.

It's brutal where it needs to be, particularly when children fight and bleed. Boxoffice Magazine James Rocchi Mar 16, As action, as allegory, as cinema, The Hunger Games is the best American science-fiction film since "The Matrix," and if Ross and his crew stay with the series for the next two books, we may get that rarest of things: a blockbuster franchise that earns our money through craft, emotion and execution, not merely marketing and effects.

Peter Travers Mar 21, My advice is to keep your eyes on Lawrence, who turns the movie into a victory by presenting a heroine propelled by principle instead of hooking up with the cutest boy. Rick Groen Mar 20, A film that transforms a popular work of teen fiction not just by faithfully exploring its themes but, more important, by proving those themes have a very grown-up resonance.

Movieline Stephanie Zacharek Mar 20, There's action here, too, and a great deal of vitality that feels true both to the spirit of Collins' book and to the idea of movie entertainment as it exists. The Playlist Todd Gilchrist Nov 20, Steve Persall Mar 20, Leaner than "Harry Potter's" adventures, meaner than the "Twilight" saga, The Hunger Games lives up to its source if not entirely the hype. Daniel Green Nov 20, The Hunger Games looks poised to usher in a brand new hit franchise and deserves all the credit it gets for its confrontational subject matter, delicately-orchestrated fight sequences and sci-fi sensibilities.

For teen audiences, films don't get much darker - or smarter - than this. Mike Scott Mar 23, Katniss is gritty, she's flinty, she's intimidating -- and she doesn't have to compromise one iota of her femininity for it. And Ross' movie tells her story wonderfully. Kenneth Turan Mar 21, Making a successful Hunger Games movie out of Suzanne Collins' novel required casting the best possible performer as Katniss, and in Jennifer Lawrence director Gary Ross and company have hit the bull's-eye, so to speak.

Joshua Rothkopf Mar 20, If the movie had a lead actress more delicate or malleable than the strong-cheeked Lawrence-a Natalie Portman, say-it would tip over into sexy-girl-killer celebration; the same goes for Harrelson's salty mentor, who is never too supportive or paternal. Both performers lean into the economies of survival, certain of the savagery that lies ahead, and come up with sharp work.

Matthew Leyland Mar 16, What's remarkable is the lack of cheese. Tacky effects, corny dialogue and creaky performances are all shown the door. We repeat: not the new "Twilight". The Guardian Xan Brooks Mar 16,