If you have a tween or teen at home, they've likely read best-selling young adult novel The Hunger Games. So it's no surprise they are clamoring to see the film. The question is, should younger readers/fans see it given the violence depicted in the book?
The book is set in fictional Panem, a society living in fear of the government, known as The Capitol. Every year, the government forces each of its 12 remaining districts to select two "tributes," a boy and girl ages 12 to 18, for a televised fight to the death. This gruesome battle is for keeping "peace." It's the offering to the government by the districts, a punishment for an earlier uprising that caused the destruction of national resources, including the food supply. It keeps citizens in fear of challenging the government, which rations out food and reaps the districts' resources. Families can get more food if their children put in their names for selection to the games more than once, making it more likely their child will fight to the death on TV.
The main character, Katniss Everdeen, is a hunter. She and best bud Gale Hawthorne deliberately go against Capitol rules to feed their families. Gale even throws out the idea of running away, but Katniss can't imagine being on the run with a family to support (Mom is emotionally dead). During the annual "reaping," a ceremonial lottery where children ages 12 to 18 are selected by lottery to fight in the games, she stands out for doing something no one from District 12 has done, volunteer. She's motivated because her innocent sister, a first-timer to the lottery, is selected to fight. Katniss can't have that. Another teen, Peeta Mellark, someone who has been kind to Katniss, also is selected. The book and movie focus on the build up to the games and the insanity of the battle, as well as the history and relationship build up between Katniss and Peeta.
I chose to take my daughter, nearly 12 as she often reminds me, to this PG-13 movie (for intense violent thematic material and disturbing images, all involving teens) during the midnight premiere. I didn't worry too much about rating because we both read the book, discussed the content and read enough to know the filmmaker tried to get that PG-13 rating to ensure mass audiences despite working with content that could easily turn R-rated.
Was I worried about blood and violence? I did hesitate some and wanted to see it early. She's seen plenty of fantasy violence via action movies, but this one would be more psychological. She also wanted to see it with friends, so I prepped by discussing the outrageous premise and focused more on the character development, relationships, government authority, violence in entertainment, etc. in advance. We also talked that her interpretation of the violence may be depicted very differently and much more graphically. That's the same with emotions that take place as kids die off, one in particular because of how she reminded Katniss of her own sister.
In my humble opinion, I think the filmmakers could have been much more gruesome. I'm glad they weren't. Death at the hands of young teens isn't something you want to see on the big screen. But it's a popular book, with action and a love triangle (which develops more in the series), awesome combos for the big screen.
Should your child go? I can't answer that. Each child is different in how they interpret emotionally/psychologically draining material and violence, and parents have different standards. Can't tell you how many little ones I see coming out of very violent movies with parents who apparently don't have a problem with it. In The Hunger Games, you will see kids spear and slice others, take pleasure in prepping to knife another, snap necks, get mauled by genetically enhanced creatures, etc. There is also the story of government oppression and giving underdogs hope.
There is a lot of discussion on whether it's OK for young kids to see. Common Sense Media gave it a "Pause 13+." The Hunger Games content may be hard for younger readers to understand, according to some experts interviewed by azcentral.com.
If you do take your child, be prepared to answer a lot of questions — not only about the changes from the book to the film.
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