Featured Audience Ratings

• Letitia L

  
  I'm proud to pronounce "The Hunger Games" another captivating addition to the sparse genre of female-led action movies that are GOOD (thanks for nothing, Barb Wire, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Elektra and Colombiana). Brought my little cousin to see this since she had… More
  I'm proud to pronounce "The Hunger Games" another captivating addition to the sparse genre of female-led action movies that are GOOD (thanks for nothing, Barb Wire, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, Elektra and Colombiana). Brought my little cousin to see this since she had read the books and deserved a reward after the hours of coding I put her through :) Jennifer Lawrence made what could have been a cheesy setting for a movie (the same stilted feel and class hatred as "In Time", for those of you who had the misfortune to watch that movie) feel believable, because she stayed strong and in-character for every minute of this. What a BAMF. I could watch her for hours. Ignoring the physical impossibilities (like a lightweight person remaining standing after taking a spear to the chest??), I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of this.

• Joseph M

  
  A

• Melvin W

  
  President Snow: Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. "The World Will Be Watching" The Hunger Games looks like an accurate representation of societal life in the coming future. It's a more updated 1984 in some regards. This shows a society(ours) that has… More
  President Snow: Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear. "The World Will Be Watching" The Hunger Games looks like an accurate representation of societal life in the coming future. It's a more updated 1984 in some regards. This shows a society(ours) that has collapsed and now looks completely different. While the average people fight for survival on a daily basis, the top class(government and sellouts), can basically do whatever they want. Included in this is a barbaric cultural show, called "The Hunger Games." In these "Hunger Games", two teenagers between the age of 12-18 are picked from each of the twelve districts that now make up the land. From each district comes one girl and one boy. Katniss is a young woman living in the twelfth district. When she goes to the reaping(the ceremony where the tributes are picked), and hears her younger sisters name called; she volunteers to go instead of her sister. The Hunger Games is a sort of government intimidation exercise in which only one of the twenty four tributes walks away alive. Now Katniss will be thrown into an arena where she must fight for her life, while the rest of the world watches on television.  This film was a whole lot better than I ever thought it would be. I'll admit to never reading the novels, as I tried to stay away from the books that teachers were peddling out to us to read throughout schooling. All I knew coming into the film was a rough synopsis of the events that were about to unfold and I believe that my lack of knowledge may have benefited me.  While I can't say anything along the lines of how good this is adaption wise, I'm pretty certain that it was a good one from the overwhelming approval for the film. For me not reading the book, the movie came across as engrossing and thoroughly intriguing and entertaining. Jennifer Lawrence is quickly becoming one of the best young actresses around also, so her presence does nothing but elevate the film even further. 

• Chris W

  
  In the distant, dystopic future, the ruins of what was once North America has coalesced into a nation known as Panem. The totalitarian government of the opulent Capitol District rules over the over twelve, less glamorous districts. As punishment for an uprising years earlier, the… More
  In the distant, dystopic future, the ruins of what was once North America has coalesced into a nation known as Panem. The totalitarian government of the opulent Capitol District rules over the over twelve, less glamorous districts. As punishment for an uprising years earlier, the Capitol forces each district to submit, as tribute, two youths (one of each gender) between ages 12-18 to compete in an annual televised competition called the Hunger Games wherein each 'tribute' must battle one another to the death until only one remains. The story primarily follows the exploits of Katniss Everdeen, the 16 year-old female from District 12 who volunteered in place of her younger sister as well as that of her fellow District 12 tribute Peeta, who has harbored a longstanding, though secret crush on her. Many people went nuts for this due to similarities with Battle Royale. Well, it also has similarities to The Running Man among other things, but so what? I see this as less of a rip off and more like just another variation on a theme. It's got a lot to offer, too: thrilling survival story, social and political satire/commentary, and an unnerving concept. Ad for the most part, this is all pretty successful. I never read the book, but it seemed like it was probably a decently faithful adaptation for the most part, though I'll admit I got the idea that a lot of things had to be glossed over or changed, such is the nature of adaptations. I can't say if that's totally a good thing, since I have no frame of reference, but once in a while the film did come off as lacking as a result, even though I ultimately got the gist of it all quite well. The main thing that sticks out as far as changes is the violence. As a necessity of the PG-13 rating, the film does tone a lot of it down, with tons of quick edits, and lots of shaky cam, and only occasional spurts of blood from the more vicious moments. I'm a beliver that yes, sometimes less is more, but I think they probably could have gotten away with not downplaying the rougher stuff as much. I mostly take issue with the manner they go about censoring it. The shaky cam gets really distracting at times, but it's not just used during the action scenes. It's used for like at least 70% of the running time, which is a real problem given that it lasts 142 minutes. It's really unnecessary for it to be there so much. I think director Gary Ross was just nervous about what he could get away with, and took the weaker way out, and that's a shame. It would have been far more effective with the camera staying still more often, letting the audience better focus on the bleakness of things. Jennifer Lawrence scores another hit as Katniss, and this is further proof of her talents. Josh Hutcherson is kinda weak (acting wise) as Peeta, though I do like how they gender flip the damsel in distress situation. There's lots of notable names in the supporting cast such as an icy Donald Sutherland as President Snow, Wes Bentley (complete with cool beard) as the gamer runner, an outstanding Woody Harrelson as the only Hunger Games winner (turned alkie and mentor) from District 12, and the delightfully campy efforts from Stanley Tucci and, especially Elizabeth Banks. Shakiness aside, the film does have a nice look (when it isn't so fidgety), the story and world building are compelling, the situation is neat, and the music is quite decent, too. All in all, this is overrated, but still pretty enjoyable. Give it a try.

• Reid V

  
  Even though I am late to the party, it is better late than never. Having read the book and feeling rather lukewarm about it, I wasn't going to fight the crowds at the cinemas in order to see a big screen adaptation of a story that I wasn't all that enthused about. However,… More
  Even though I am late to the party, it is better late than never. Having read the book and feeling rather lukewarm about it, I wasn't going to fight the crowds at the cinemas in order to see a big screen adaptation of a story that I wasn't all that enthused about. However, in the comfort of my own living room and with my expectations still hovering around moderate to low, I have to admit that this movie took me a bit by surprise. Right from the very beginning, Ross' direction is taut. Smartly keeping the attention of a generation of YouTubers with quick cuts, while simultaneously acquainting the viewer with the emotional core of the film; Katniss and those of District 12. The reaping scene in particular is honestly astounding. One of the better sequences that I have seen from a film in 2012. The agony of silence haunts every frame, and even though we know that Katniss will somehow be drawn into these games, Ross still manages to generate a palpable tension by cutting from the faces of the those who are doomed to compete in these games, with close ups of the hands and the mouths, the instruments of terror, of those orchestrating the events. The momentum began to wane in the second act however. The action sequences are well crafted, but cannot keep afloat what is dragged under water by a mediocre script. I also was unimpressed by Lawrence. I think she is a terrific actor, but I would not point to this film if I was trying to make a case for her. Overall, the film succeeded in pointing me to Gary Ross' IMDB page in order to check out his other work. Unfortunately, it did little more than that.

• Nicki M

  
  Didn't actually expect to like this one. Was pleasantly surprised. Horrible storyline about poor kids and teens being forced to battle to the death for the entertainment of rich people, but makes for enthralling viewing. Beautifully filmed and Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic.… More
  Didn't actually expect to like this one. Was pleasantly surprised. Horrible storyline about poor kids and teens being forced to battle to the death for the entertainment of rich people, but makes for enthralling viewing. Beautifully filmed and Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic. Definitely have to check out the next films and probably the books too.

• Dean !

  
  I haven't read the book so I can't compare to that. It's a well made film with a big production and talented cast. Tiny bit surprised at being a 12a rating, it's basically teenagers fighting to the death by killing each other off! Also a theme similar to many… More
  I haven't read the book so I can't compare to that. It's a well made film with a big production and talented cast. Tiny bit surprised at being a 12a rating, it's basically teenagers fighting to the death by killing each other off! Also a theme similar to many films, Running Man, Battle Royal, The Condemned. So not that original but decent enough to check it out.

• Stuart B

  
  Boring "Teen" friendly mix of Battle Royale, The Running Man and Lord of the Flies. If this and Twilight is what people are reading then there is fuck all hope for any of us. Fucking shite!

• Crash E

  
  I've heard so much about this movie, that I was having really huge expectations. but let's just say it wasn't reached the halfway to my expectations

• Al S

  
  A mind-blowing and adrenaline-pumping thrill-machine. The first chapter to a promising, dynamic and thrilling franchise. A real triumph. A spectacular and unforgettable action-packed adventure. It`s bold, fiercly epic and utterly breathtaking. An outstanding vision of he future where… More
  A mind-blowing and adrenaline-pumping thrill-machine. The first chapter to a promising, dynamic and thrilling franchise. A real triumph. A spectacular and unforgettable action-packed adventure. It`s bold, fiercly epic and utterly breathtaking. An outstanding vision of he future where todays youth are pushed to the test and forced to do unthinkable things. Director, Gary Ross crafts a swiftly paced, creative and tough adaptation of the classic novel. An intstant classic that will blow you away and knock you out. A powerfully entertaining and wickedly thrilling ride. It`s stunning, well-crafted and brilliantly performend. The characters are well developed and the stars shine in the roles. It`s young breakout stars, Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson give strong and great performances. Lawrence plays Katniss with a strength and emotional vulnerability that makes her worthy of movie star status. Woody Harrelson is excellent. Stanley Tucci is terrific. Elisabeth Banks is wonderful. Lenny Kravitz gives a great performance. Over two hours of well-crisp entertainment with great characters, in depth story, and smart, sharp and furious action sequences.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  "I am one of the many who read the series. I liked the film, but I didn't love it. I understand a lot has to be taken off the table in order to put it on film and not everything is going to make it into the movie. But some of the things I liked about the book were left out.… More
  "I am one of the many who read the series. I liked the film, but I didn't love it. I understand a lot has to be taken off the table in order to put it on film and not everything is going to make it into the movie. But some of the things I liked about the book were left out. So that was a little disappointing. But I enjoyed what I saw of it. I do feel like some of the film won't make sense to most if they didn't read the book first. I feel like that is a fail for the film. It should have been made in a way for those who didn't read the book to understand it as well. I understand not eveyone is a book nerd like myself. :] So besides that and some scenes from the book I would have liked to have seen played out in the film, it turned out to be just OK for me."

• Matthew Samuel M

  
  Paced quickly and quite faithful to the book, the movie is colorful and exciting. The emotions are strong, and the visuals are beautiful. The acting from the leads and supporting characters is excellent, and the script is a great adaptation. A must see!

• Emil K

  
  This is flawed and occasionally thunderous mix of adventure and chilling dystopia. It is definetly a must see for anyone who is looking for entertainment with style and little more brain than usual. Director/co-writer Gary Ross knows how to blend sci-fi, adventure and drama into one… More
  This is flawed and occasionally thunderous mix of adventure and chilling dystopia. It is definetly a must see for anyone who is looking for entertainment with style and little more brain than usual. Director/co-writer Gary Ross knows how to blend sci-fi, adventure and drama into one huge film and make it work. With terrific handheld photography by Tom Stern and haunting score by James Newton Howard, The Hunger Games is a solid if nothing special as a pure entertainment. It also benefits from strong leading performance from Jennifer Lawrence who already showed that she has talent to burn in Debra Granik's masterful Winter's Bone. On the negative side is the film's pointless length which could have easily been cut into half. There is just not enough material to keep it interesting enough fot it's whole running time. When it also comes to other than Lawrence's performance, the acting is not that good. There has been numerous comparisions between Japanese Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale and this film, but to be honest where Fukasaku's film was more satire and extremely dark comedy, The Hunger Games leans more into pure adventure and sci-fi. The Hunger Games is also much more entertaining and much better than Fukasaku's pointless gorefest. Ross shows no interest in showing too much of the sadistic sides of twisted game where young Katniss Everdeen is thrown into. Instead Ross is more interested in chemistry between his characters and the effects that this cruel game has on these poor young people. The Hunger Games might not be an masterpiece or the most original piece of cinema you have seen, but it certainly has ingredients to make you entertained. Just don't expect too much from it.

• Eugene B

  
  A mesmerizing script with a phenomenal direction that brings about a visually stunning world of the novel-based film. Hunger Games delivers on all aspects from acting, visualization and as well as direction and solidifies as a solid blockbuster for the spring season. 4/5

• Phil H

  
  Move over 'Potter' and 'Bella' here comes the new book for young adults/teens, and its quite violent!. I'm not gonna go into the plot for this adaptation as it really is unbelievably unoriginal. This is my issue with this film (and book), the plot is dated,… More
  Move over 'Potter' and 'Bella' here comes the new book for young adults/teens, and its quite violent!. I'm not gonna go into the plot for this adaptation as it really is unbelievably unoriginal. This is my issue with this film (and book), the plot is dated, old, done many many many times, so why is this so hyped I ask? First thing that does hit you is the fact the film spends a lot of time building the characters. Right from the start everybody is slowly developed so by the time the two leads reach 'the capital' you feel like you know them. This is good obviously and a real plus point for the film, to be honest I wondered if we were ever gonna get to the action, half the film is plot/character development. The film is also made well despite not having a great deal of fancy effects or massive action moments. Its quite low key with average sets, a touch of CGI for the capital and interesting costume designs. In short it looks realistic when it needs to be and not some over blown post apocalyptic mega blockbuster mess. As said there is one main problem with the whole adaptation (and book) and that's the plot. We've seen this all before, sure its well acted and made for genuine emotional punch but how many times have you seen a film about a sterile Orwellian authoritarian society that uses bloodsports as the main outlet for its violence lusting population?? . There are so many other films and stories that have used this concept I simply don't understand why this is being talked about so much, because its for teens?. So much isn't explained either. What happened to the Earth to cause this apocalyptic world? is the rest of world like this? why is the high society in 'the capital' all dressed up like cast from 'The Wizard of Oz' or some French opera? how did these districts get created?. Seeing as there are quite a lot of districts with what appears to be big populations surely it wouldn't be too hard to stand up to one city, they start riots easily enough within the film which cause problems. On the other hand why do the youngsters even compete? if no one complied and refused to kill within the games they couldn't carry on with them no? The fact that almost all the young combatants in the games are not really introduced seemed a bit poor to me. We know about seven of them (briefly) out of 24, the rest are just faceless kill fodder. Loads of them get killed the minute they enter the games, then during many more get killed off so it does seem like there are maybe more than 24. Maybe these things are explained in the book, maybe some of it has been altered for the film, I don't know but it does seem rather weak to me. Overall I did enjoy the film as these types of 'rebellion against a big brother society' films are normally intriguing and emotional. Its well acted and well presented, but everything from the exposure of the young combatants by a slimy gameshow host type to the games being monitored by a control room of suits and techs is completely cliched, predictable and most of all unoriginal. A little too late for me in all honesty, this has been done and offers nothing new accept the fact youngsters compete. A controlled gameshow environmental variation of 'Lord of the Flies' if you will.

• Red L

  
  Hunger games is a movie that makes you think. Hopefully our world is not headed that way - where mere kids are thrown into a life and death gladiators arena. I thought the actors were fine, and the story made sense - at least you understand how the forest fire started and where the… More
  Hunger games is a movie that makes you think. Hopefully our world is not headed that way - where mere kids are thrown into a life and death gladiators arena. I thought the actors were fine, and the story made sense - at least you understand how the forest fire started and where the mutts came from. Go with the 85% that liked the movie, see it yourself.

• Mike S

  
  Staged in a bizarre and post-apocalyptic future, where apparently "over-the-top" no longer exists as a concept, <i>The Hunger Games</i> by director Gary Ross, is a fascinating, if somewhat campy spectacle, based upon the popular novel by Suzanne Collins. At the… More
  Staged in a bizarre and post-apocalyptic future, where apparently "over-the-top" no longer exists as a concept, <i>The Hunger Games</i> by director Gary Ross, is a fascinating, if somewhat campy spectacle, based upon the popular novel by Suzanne Collins. At the center of the story we find rising star Jennifer Lawrence, whose talents became known to the world with her riveting performance in <i>Winter's Bone</i>. She plays Katniss Everdeen, a 16-year old girl living in the gritty and impoverished 12th district in the nation known as Panem (formerly North America). Ruled by the Capitol, a wealthy, awe-inspiring metropolis that holds hegemony over Panem, the inhabitants of the twelve districts are subjects to their governing power; and thereto also the savage Hunger Games - a battle to the death between teenage boys and girls, whom are forcibly culled into participation, for the sport and entertainment of a televised event. Overseer of the brutal contest is the heartless President Snow, played by revered veteran Donald Sutherland, who is pretty much the only citizen in the Capitol who doesn't look like he's sprung from a Nickelodeon cartoon (oh yes, you'll definitely notice the fashion design in this one). Extravagant hairdos aside though, this is a great and deeply meaningful film that raises some very interesting questions. For as we follow our young heroine, through fear and fire, we invest ourselves in her fate while admiring her heartfelt courage. Not least in her act of compassion in the beginning of the film, where she selflessly takes her sister's place in the merciless arena. From a psychological standpoint, it's very addicting to witness the character developments of the teenage contestants. My only gripe is that I didn't find it fully believable how some of them turned into sociopathic killing machines. I mean, slaying their competitors with such ease, in such cold blood - I might have bought it if it was one or two of them, but a whole group treating the bloodhunt like a casual game of paintball? I wasn't entirely convinced. At any rate, the supporting cast of this film does some applaud-worthy work here. To mention a few stand-outs, there's flamboyant TV host Caesar Flickerman, played by a memorable Stanley Tucci. Also Woody Harrelson is superb, as Katniss's assigned mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, who was the victor of the 50th Hunger Games. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, her also-competing love interest, did a nice job with his character as well. One could make a valid argument against the dizzying shaky cam and partially slow-going first half, but I was nonetheless completely absorbed, if not to say spellbound by its timeless themes of sacrifice, survival and the power of hope. And I think not having read the novel made the experience all the better. Will Katniss live through the challenge, in triumph over her fears? And if so, will she come out the same person that she was prior to the game? These are but some of many "dying-to-knows" that kept me glued at the edge of my seat. Granted that much followed my predictions, but it was a rousing two hours nevertheless. An ambitious, well-acted and sophisticated sci-fi adventure, that fires away boldly and scores a cinematic bullseye! Because with a world so rich in character and compelling human emotions, this is an extraordinary crowd-pleaser, that in many ways even outdoes its Japanese sibling, <i>Battle Royale</i>. I do hope the inevitable sequel(s) will be equally engrossing. For when all is said and done and you reach for that last piece of popcorn, "The Hunger Games", in all its harrowing splendor, leaves you hungry for so much more!

• Luke B

  
  The Hunger Games will always fail in comparison to one of my favourite films of all time that shall remain nameless. The book was embarrassingly bad. Poor writing, with no idea about characterisation, conflict, or pacing. Luckily Gary Ross is a much better filmmaker than Suzanne… More
  The Hunger Games will always fail in comparison to one of my favourite films of all time that shall remain nameless. The book was embarrassingly bad. Poor writing, with no idea about characterisation, conflict, or pacing. Luckily Gary Ross is a much better filmmaker than Suzanne Collins is a writer. He manages to capture those silent moments of thought which allow the audience to breathe and contemplate what is happening. Unlike Collins' non-stop 1st person narrative from Katniss, which included every one of her mundane thoughts. She's a character that doesn't speak much, and this is better represented in this film. Lawrence gives a great performance and knows when a look is more than a speech. In fact, the whole cast do well. Like the book, the first half is more interesting, as we see the build-up to the games. The ceremony and pomposity is what hides this cruel sense of torture. It's in the second half where the film (like the book) begins to lose its pace. Ross does the best he can with having to deliver a PG-13 film. There was actually more violence than expected. However, the amount of violence wouldn't have changed a thing as we simply don't know nor care about the characters killed. They are nothing but fodder for the action scenes. It's strange to feel so empty at watching kids die. There's never a question about how this film is going to end because it is too cowardly. The amount of incidental deaths caused by accident are so high it relieves these kids of making any choices. It's still a fun watch for the most part, and simply by being better than the book it deserves a lot of respect.

• Tyler R

  
  The Hunger Games is based off the first book in the series and it's about twelve districts who have to send one boy and one girl to fight to the death in competitions and its televised for other to people to enjoy. It's set in the future so to speak, and the twelve districts… More
  The Hunger Games is based off the first book in the series and it's about twelve districts who have to send one boy and one girl to fight to the death in competitions and its televised for other to people to enjoy. It's set in the future so to speak, and the twelve districts are what was once North America. The first thing I have to say about the movie is the cast. I liked the cast and I liked the acting. Jennifer Lawrence was really good as Katniss (She's essentially the female version of Hawkeye) I think Josh Hutcherson was also good, but the role that stood out the most was Woody Harrelson as a drunk named Abernathy. He stole the show in whatever scene he was in and he's always been a really good actor. The designs of the sets also looked great. The art director of the film really outdid himself when creating what everything would look like whilst also keeping artistic license from the book. Since its a movie about teens fighting to the death, some pretty intense scenes are expected. During the parts where all the teens were competing, it was exciting to watch. There are some parts where things stray from what happens in the book, but like I said, artistic license. I understand that not every little detail needs to be copied from the book, but there were some parts where I wished it would've stayed a little more faithful to the source material. For example, in the book the kids spend quite some time in this cave and it's really for the characters to bond and develop. In the movie, the cave parts felt rushed and it was over sooner than I would've expected. I also had a hard time buying the romance in the movie. The book actually did a good job of showing why we should care for Katniss and Peeta as a couple, but the movie just rushed it and the relationship felt generic. I also had a hard time buying how a certain character would feel in a certain situation. I didn't really care for the characters as much as I did in the book. When this movie was released, I remember every teenager (male and female) I knew getting pumped to see this. It seemed like that this movie would be the greatest movie of all time considering how some people talked about. I personally think the movie was a tad overhyped. I still enjoyed it though. The Hunger Games had really good acting, exciting action scenes, a premise that was executed nicely as far as movies go, there were some parts that were rushed and the characters needed more development. It's still a good adaptation, but I prefer the book.

• Eric S

  
  What is up with the shaky camera movement? When I watch a film I like to actually see what's going on. It's very distracting when there's no focus. Even if the camera was still, "The Hunger Games" is far from perfect. It feels toned down and less intense than… More
  What is up with the shaky camera movement? When I watch a film I like to actually see what's going on. It's very distracting when there's no focus. Even if the camera was still, "The Hunger Games" is far from perfect. It feels toned down and less intense than it really should be. I mean, kids are killing each other in an arena yet you never really feel the full effect of what's going on. In other words, the film did not grab me emotionally. Maybe it's because the characters are underdeveloped. Maybe it's because the film is carefully constructed to appeal to the young-adult audience. Whatever the case is, I could not get involved. I honestly don't understand the hype behind these movies/books. Yes, I did read the book. It is not that amazing and is certainly not groundbreaking. Just comes to show how teenagers will buy into anything. All in all, "The Hunger Games" is badly filmed, edited, and directed, which is a shame because it could have been so much better. It lacks any tension and is for the most part anti-climatic.

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