The Hunger Games

Review and Trailer Comments

• niallg

  Sounds like a battle royale rip off.

  Posted 08:58 | Fri 23rd Mar 2012

• ashfahy

  Read the books Naillg, they leave Battle Royale in the dust.

  Posted 11:50 | Fri 23rd Mar 2012

• FilmBuff76

  Some commentators have suggested that The Hunger Games is the next Twilight. Apart from a subtle, under-played love triangle, you can safely banish any such ghastly thoughts. What it is though is Battle Royale-lite for teenagers and adults alike. Based on the best-selling books by Suzanne Collins, it tells of a future America where the Government randomly chooses two teenagers from each of the 12 districts for The Hunger Games. They must compete in a gladiatorial battle to the death, in punishment for a past rebellion. Our lead character Katniss Everdeen is a resourceful and driven young woman who will have to kill the other 23 contestants in order to come out alive. Played with conviction by rising actress Jennifer Lawrence, she's a fully-rounded character that you genuinely care about. Gary Ross' direction is assured, with some tense action sequences even if the violence has been toned down somewhat for a lower rating. The supporting cast is good too, though some of the hairstyles and fashions of the adult characters look absurd at times (maybe that's the point). It may feel like a lot of other films mixed together, but it has its own distinctive voice that sets it apart from the likes of Battle Royale. It's a thrilling start to a proposed trilogy of films. Highly recommended.

  Posted 09:53 | Sat 24th Mar 2012

• Magpie

  The lead girl is magnificent, so is Harrelson. But lets not kid ourselves this is a very much watered down version of Battle Royale. In fact it is a poor imitation of a movie made nearly 15 years ago. It lacks the questions, it lacks development and motivation of the 'bad guys' characters, little or no commentary on the perversion of 'reality tv' and most importantly in movies of this ilk, it lack the craziness. It is pretty meek and a little week!!! 2/5 and not a bit more.

  Posted 17:33 | Sat 24th Mar 2012

• BJ

  Boring....boring....boring. Avoid this film....utter bore

  Posted 20:27 | Sat 24th Mar 2012

• DanielBrady

  I really enjoyed the film and I love the book! The movie might seem slow to start off but if you have read the book you'd see how well it was adapted and builds up the movie. The games portion of the film was all together rushed as it takes place over weeks in the books, and Rue's character was no where near as developed as in the book, neither was the relationship between Katniss and Peeta. After I seen the film I thought 1) Katniss should have, talked to herself a bit to narrate her situations because, believe me, if you haven't read the books, you have missed a lot of implied story. Read the book, then see the movie. I'd give it 4/5

  Posted 23:44 | Sat 24th Mar 2012

• darren mcnamee

  I thought The Hunger Games was exciting and moving but it was slow at the start and did rush a few parts in the movie, over all it was an excellent movie and it is worth seeing.

  Posted 11:56 | Sun 25th Mar 2012

• darren mcnamee

  I thought The Hunger Games was exciting and moving but it was slow at the start and did rush a few parts in the movie, over all it was an excellent movie and it is worth seeing.

  Posted 11:57 | Sun 25th Mar 2012

• Helene

  Really enjoyed this movie....great story.

  Posted 10:40 | Mon 26th Mar 2012

• Linda

  I really enjoyed this film and would recommend people to see this

  Posted 12:17 | Mon 26th Mar 2012

• jez

  I never thought I'd hear someone employed as a film critic describing Elizabeth Banks as "uber-respected", and at the same time completely forgetting to mention Donald Sutherland. What an idiotic oversight.

  Posted 14:31 | Mon 26th Mar 2012

• ellegibbons

  Just brilliant best movie i've seen in a long time, great to see a different story/ format. Well worth going to see!

  Posted 14:57 | Mon 26th Mar 2012

• sian

  I saw Battle Royale,&it was cool, psycho Jap kids massacreing each other. BUT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Hunger Games is COMPLETELY different,the cimematography is completely different,and AMAZING. The story is different,feel is different. Go & see it for yourself & read the trilogy,you'll see what I mean. HG does not ''suck'',nor is is it ''boring'', depends what you deem exciting, XFACTOR?yawn. As ashfahy said,read the books,the leave BR in the dust. It's not TOO crazy to contemplate.somewhere,maybe 100 or so years from now(if the planet is still here,and not gone 21/12/2012), when people are bored of ''I'm a celebrity-Get me out of here'',where they have lie in shallow pools of rats and baby crocodiles,eat kangaroo balls,grubs,and other fun stuff..it'll only be a matter of time before people become bored.And perhaps instead of prison or juvie,they'll select people,the repeat offenders,with noone realh o the outside who'd bail them out,to battle it out on live tv. Right back to the Christians and the lions in the Arena,only in the comfort of your own homes,on live T.V,so you can pick at your popcorn as they pick each other off. And you just KNOW,the audience would love in,baying for blood.Think ''But that could never happen!'' really? Take a look around the the world. Suzanne Collins(who IMO is a genius!I've never been one for that whole twilight tosh,HG has a passing nod to romance,but not the sentimental sick-making twilight kind) has captured something in her dystopian books,than sadly,could become scarily true....! And as for BR references,they end there,as the Mockingjay takes flight.....can't wait!In the meantime,GO & SEE THIS FILM,it's brilliant!(History in the making?!) and READ the books,they're great.

  Posted 18:19 | Sat 31st Mar 2012

• amanda

  Good film, but a bit drawn out..!!!

  Posted 09:18 | Wed 4th Apr 2012

• Ohmary

  Awful movie. Cant imagine how anyone could enjoy it

  Posted 14:31 | Wed 11th Apr 2012

• Tomboy

  predictable and very boring.

  Posted 23:05 | Tue 17th Apr 2012

• Bunny Starr

  Kudos to Film Buff 75 and sian - liked your reviews. Interesting that in all the reviews in the press I have not noticed the most obvious comparison - Running Man, which, from the perspective of media obsession, is probably closer to this story than Battle Royale. The performances are a bit hammed up in parts but overall pace is maintained and suspence adequately applied throughout. The use of Roman names and the similarity to the declining days of the roman empire are a suitable counterpoint to a dystopian view of the eventual devolution of modern western society and well executed with considerable menace by Sutherland's performance as a paterfamilias president. The unholy alliance of the state and media is not that far off our horizons given the various "first amendment" issues in the USA and freedom of the press issues elsewhere. Freedom is what the film is about. It is only an adolescent yarn for the indolent whose sense of entitlement has clouded their ability to critically assess modern culture in light of history: in which case such lazy reviewing only proves the point the film is trying to make. "We are going to end up like the roman empire unless we take stock of society and our vision of the future". Those who have learned nothing from history are doomed to relive it. It is a good film.

  Posted 15:14 | Fri 27th Apr 2012

• Neelie509

  good film. not the most fantastic ever but very watchable and you can enjoy it. takes a little while to kick off at the start but its worth sticking through that. it is worth seeing.

  Posted 14:03 | Tue 29th May 2012

• Dobby's Sock

  For me The Hunger Games is up there with the likes of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. I'm on the third book at the moment and am practically glued to the pages. It really is a fantastic series. I would recommend to anyone who enjoyed this film to read the books.

  Posted 11:57 | Sat 14th Jul 2012

• Sara

  Loved it so original brilliant movie

  Posted 23:08 | Wed 18th Jul 2012

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