[Rue's] presence gave the heart to the whole movie.

Full Review | Aug 31, 2021

The Hunger Games is undeniably progressive in making its protagonist so plucky, independent, and self-actualizing a young woman.

Full Review | Feb 25, 2019

The film shows precious little hunger and no sense of game.

Full Review | Jun 17, 2013

[Ross'] version of The Hunger Games, while not perfect, is probably as magnificent I ever my wildest dreams could have hoped for it to be.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Apr 14, 2012

If you've never read Collins' novels, the odds that you'll enjoy the film are not in your favor.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Apr 5, 2012

Lawrence proved her ability to carry a character's heavy burden in Winter's Bone. As Katniss Everdeen, a teenage girl who is both physically and morally strong, she has gravitas, rarely breaking into a smile, but reveals no sign of self-seriousness.

Full Review | Mar 30, 2012

A triumph of restraint - but had the film been more visceral and less sanitised it might have better implicated viewers in the voyeuristic bloodlust of its entertainment.

Full Review | Mar 29, 2012

Even when two people are just talking calmly, Ross jerks the camera around. Why? As the sense of danger increases, he has nothing to build toward.

Full Review | Mar 26, 2012

Ross manages to keep the pacing remarkably swift, given that the games themselves don't start until halfway through the 144-minute running time.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Mar 23, 2012

[Katniss is] perhaps the most engaging action-movie protagonist in recent years … Am I glad I saw The Hunger Games? Yes. But I'm not eager to see it again.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Mar 23, 2012

Lawrence is terrific, but the film is a sleek, competent example of a big-budget, sure-fire commercial hit without much soul or style.

Full Review | Mar 23, 2012

The Hunger Games absolutely delivers for its target audience: younger teenagers. To them, it can be highly recommended.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 23, 2012

The Hunger Games just about manages to remain within the family enclosure. Little blood is spilt, but seasoned action fiends will not feel themselves overly short-changed.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 22, 2012

Like the select participants of its savage sport, The Hunger Games stands triumphant, if scarred and a bit wobbly from the contest.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 22, 2012

I know we're supposed to tut-tut about levels of cinematic violence, but this seems to me one of the rare occasions when the film needed to be bolder, and nastier.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Mar 22, 2012

It features a functioning creative imagination and lots of honest-to-goodness acting by its star, Jennifer Lawrence, who brings her usual toughness and emotional transparency to the archer-heroine Katniss.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 22, 2012

Watching The Hunger Games, I was struck both by how slickly Ross hit his marks and how many opportunities he was missing to take the film to the next level -- to make it more shocking, lyrical, crazy, daring.

Full Review | Mar 22, 2012

The Hunger Games is first and foremost an adventure/survival story, and director Ross keeps things moving with nary a moment of downtime.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 22, 2012

The Hunger Games' pacing is brisk, its stakes as high as stakes get, and its leading lady engaging enough that the odds - at the box office at least - will be ever in its favor.

Full Review | Mar 22, 2012

The movie is undeniably a rich fantasy adventure, with plenty of narrative wiggle-room for the two books/movies to follow.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/4 | Mar 22, 2012